Shorts 2
by Julian Dimera
Summary: These shorts take place after Away From Here and occur before Who I Am.
1. Fix You

**2.01: Fix You**

_Saturday, January 28th, 2012_

Looking out the front passenger window of the car, Will watched as the scenery around him rushed in and out of his view. He believed he had cried every single tear in his body and tried to remain calm so he did not embarrass himself on his way home. Feeling a tad light-headed, Will sat back in the seat with his face forward and closed his eyes. He tried to call Sonny earlier to come pick him up, but Sonny didn't answer. At that point, Will had decided rather quickly that his parents weren't an option because he feared he would hear _I told you sos_ from them about Chad. Everything was so messed up. Chad was gone, and he had no idea how to feel about what happened just a couple of hours earlier.

Will tried to make sense of everything Chad said to him out by the gas station. The quick turnaround from Chad made him wonder if there was something he missed. Did he fight hard enough? Did he accept Chad's rejection too easily? Why did Chad decide to tell him this now? Was he too difficult for Chad to fully love? Was this somehow all his fault? Did he cause Chad to turn on him because he didn't allow them to talk about Mia? Was his blowup in the car about Mia the reason Chad turned on him? These were only but a small portion of questions running through Will's mind, but the answers were not there.

EJ, who was driving, turned to Will and knew his step-son was torturing himself with questions and thoughts about Chad abandoning him. Attempting to help him not dwell on his thoughts, he offered, "I can help you, William. I will help you find Chad and bring him home."

"Chad is gone," Will said coldly. Even with all the questions in his mind, he knew Chad was gone for good and was not coming back. "Chad and I no longer have a home together."

EJ wanted to say something else, but he noted how Will closed himself off by turning his gaze out the window again. He questioned what his brother was thinking and wondered how he could do something like this to Will. EJ knew his brother, and even though Chad made some mistakes, he understood that Chad truly loved Will. His brother must not have been in his right mind.

Will, who was watching the scenery once again, continued to think about his now ex-boyfriend. He questioned if Chad was ever his, but then his thoughts went to all the things they had been through over the last six to nine months. Chad had to love him because of everything they went through. He was coming out of his shell and proved he was unafraid of what others thought about him being gay. Why would he quickly reject all the progress they had made over all this time?

Even with this proof to deny Chad's last statements to Will before he drove off without him, Will couldn't forget the words that came out of Chad's mouth at that gas station. Chad claimed he didn't love Will and only came out publicly to help him out of his coma. Chad had kept Mia away from him and met with her in secret. There was no telling what really happened between them when they met secretly. There was no telling if when he caught them kissing at Chez Rouge, if that was the first time it happened, or if that was the worst of it. Chad had actually told him that being with him was too much work and he'd rather be alone. Chad had confirmed his biggest fears in their relationship, and it only made Will feel worse.

When Will and EJ arrived at the Dimera mansion, Will was left with the thought that he had truly fooled himself into thinking he could have love and be happy. He looked at the mansion and memories of Chad wanted to flood through his mind, but Will would not allow it. He couldn't do this anymore. He couldn't pretend that things could work out on their own. Will knew he had fault in everything that happened and wished he had fought harder. He wished he hadn't closed himself off in talking about his attack on the pier. Maybe he and Chad would be in a different place if he actually faced everything that went horribly wrong.

EJ remained in the car and looked ahead as he spoke to Will again. "There is a lot of chaos going on in there because of what happened to Stefano. I can get you a room at the Salem Inn or somewhere else if you want to be alone for the night."

Will almost lost it when he heard the word "alone". He felt so alone, and he didn't want it to last. "I don't want to be alone," he admitted with a crack in his voice. "I can stay at the mansion for now."

EJ nodded his head before both got out of the car. Will grabbed one of his bags to take in with him and decided to leave the other bags in EJ's car. Walking in, they found Lexie and Sami talking.

"I don't understand what happened tonight," Lexie shared with Sami.

Sami wanted to know more about what happened to Stefano, but spotting her son with EJ caught her off guard. She knew her husband went out, but he didn't tell her where he was going. "What's going on?"

Lexie looked over to Will and wondered the same thing. "Where's Chad? He was with you when you left the scene."

Sami gave EJ and Lexie a concerned look. "Chad and Will were there when you found Stefano dead?"

EJ simply nodded his head and wasn't sure what to say about Chad because he didn't want to put Will in a more uncomfortable position.

Will had lowered his head to avoid eye contact with his mother or anyone else in the room. Adjusting his bag, he tried to remain focused on something else, so he wouldn't break down. He wasn't ready for his mom to rant and rave about what Chad did to him.

"Will?" Sami let out softly with great love and concern as Lexie gave EJ a questioning look.

Will couldn't help but look up when he heard his mom say his name. As soon as he locked eyes with Sami, tears began to stream down his face due to the shame, disappointment, and hurt he felt. Each feeling seemed to magnify now that he was in a familiar context.

Seeing the painful tears in her son's eyes, Sami began to tear up as well. Rushing over to Will, she wrapped her arms around him. "Will, what's going on? Why are you so sad? Where is Chad?"

Will immediately melted into his mother as his sobs continued to strengthen its hold on him. "H… i… g…" No matter how hard Will tried to speak, complete words weren't coming out.

As Lexie remained curiously quiet, Sami continued to hold Will and looked to EJ for answers. "EJ, tell me what happened."

EJ swallowed hard because of how Will could no longer say anything coherent. It didn't help he was still dealing with his own emotions on finding Stefano on the pier. He gave Sami a deafening look as he answered, "Chad has left Salem."

Lexie moved over to EJ and placed her hand on his arm. "Maybe we should let Sami and Will have some space. We can talk about father in his office."

"Where's Kate?" EJ asked quickly.

"She is upstairs," Lexie informed him. "She doesn't know what's going on."

EJ turned to his wife before heading to the office. "Samantha…"

As Sami tried to comfort Will, she gave EJ a nod. "We will be fine," she stated.

After Lexie and EJ walked into Stefano's office, Sami led her son to the living room to rest on the couch. She pulled Will close to her and wasn't sure what to say to him at first because she wasn't sure if Will wanted to hear her say anything. Deciding to hold off on speaking, she allowed her hand to scratch up and down Will's back hoping that would help him feel better.

Will experienced warmth and love from his mother's comfort. He was surprised that his mother showed restraint and hadn't said _I told you so_. He allowed himself to let out the pain for a while longer before deciding he had cried enough. Even so, he wanted to remain connected to Sami because it helped him so much in shutting off the crying for now.

When Sami realized Will had calmed down, she figured now would be the right time to say something. Wiping her eyes with her free hand, she stated, "I hope you know you did nothing wrong."

"Huh?"

Continuing to scratch Will's back, Sami clarified, "I guess I am reflecting on my own experience with men leaving me behind or walking away. Things exploded because I did something wrong, but I want you to know you did nothing wrong in case you are thinking it."

Will thought about what Sami was trying to say to him, but knew a big part of him blamed himself for his relationship with Chad and the way it ended. How could he allow himself to get comfortable with Chad in the first place? He guarded himself somewhat after his attack on the pier, but he allowed himself to forgive Chad and let him back in. "I was so stupid," Will said. "I only have myself to blame for what happened tonight. I loved Chad, but it was all for nothing."

Sami stopped scratching Will's back as she related to what Will was going through. "It's the worst, Will, but I hope you know this is not the end – not for you or for love."

Will didn't want to think about that. Resting his head on his mother's shoulder, he said, "I can't do that. I can't just move past this because the truth is I still love Chad, and I hate myself for that. He claims he never loved me in that way, but I don't know – a small part of me thinks it was or could have been the real thing. Maybe he will come back."

Sami ran her fingers through Will's hair as she questioned if Will was in denial. She had been there many times before, but she didn't say anything because she didn't want to project her own experiences onto her son. "Keep an open mind, Will. If you never try, you'll never know. You're worth so much, and I hope you know that. You deserve a great love and you deserve to be happy because you are such a wonderful person."

Sami began to tear up again because she wanted Will to know how fantastic he truly was. "I know it's hard to believe that anything great could come from me and your dad, but you really are amazing, Will. You are resilient, compassionate, and devoted. Please don't lose that."

Will separated himself from Sami a bit because hearing his mother praise him bothered him in some ways. Looking into his mother's eyes, he gave her a warm yet sad look. "Mom, I appreciate what you're trying to do here, but… I… I just can't. This is the worst day of my life, and I can't handle all this. It's too much."

Sami gave Will a defeated look because seeing her son so heartbroken broke her heart. She wanted to fix him, but she realized there was nothing she could really say at this point that would make things better. Placing her hand on Will's cheek, she commented, "You look tired. Maybe you should sleep."

Will looked around the room and blew out some air because he really was worn out. "I don't know if I can. Where would I sleep?"

Sami pulled Will close to her again and rested Will's head on her lap. "Just close your eyes, Will. I'm not going anywhere, and I'll take care of you tonight. I can do that." Sami watched as Will closed his eyes and eventually fell asleep. Reflecting on everything Will had been through over the last week, she couldn't believe how strong he was trying to be. She hoped he knew how much she loved him and that she wanted to help.

Later that Saturday night, Will arrived to his apartment for the first time since leaving it with Chad. He knew he would have to face it eventually and figured he couldn't let his mother put him to sleep again. Unlocking the door and walking in, he remembered how distraught Chad was when they found Stefano on the pier. It was all coming back to him and as much as he wanted to push forward, he felt as though he was going in reverse.

Hearing the front door open from his bedroom, Sonny walked out and found Will just standing there. Surprised to see him, Sonny stated, "I thought you and Chad were gone for the weekend." He wrapped his arms across his chest thankful he wouldn't be alone in the apartment tonight.

Will looked up to acknowledge Sonny but didn't say anything.

Sonny scratched the side of his head sensing a deep sadness in Will. He related to it somehow and reflected on how he no longer had any part in Dario's life. With some fear, he asked, "Where's Chad?"

Will dropped most of his things on the floor and adjusted one bag over his shoulder. "I'm going to sleep. I'll talk to you later."

Sonny watched as Will disappeared into the other room. Even though he was confused, he decided to ask Will about it the next day because Will really did seem out of it. He hoped something horrible didn't happen to Chad. "Okay," he said quietly before returning to his bedroom for sleep.

Will walked into his bedroom and headed straight for his desk without turning on the lights. He wanted to avoid the memories of Chad that seemed to haunt him everywhere he went and began to undress. Closing his eyes as he took off his shirt and pants, Will wanted to focus on getting good sleep and nothing else. Once he was done, he walked over to his radio and turned it on thinking music could help him turn off his brain. Request night was ending, but Will couldn't bear to hear any of it because it only reminded him of the song he dedicated to Chad last summer. The song he dedicated was actually about running away together, and Will felt his disappointment begin to grow.

After turning off the radio, he headed for the bed and threw himself onto it. It was so big alone. He wasn't ready for this.

Grabbing a pillow and his blanket, Will made his way into the living room. He looked the couch over and figured this was the best place he could go in his apartment and actually sleep. Throwing his pillow at one end, he laid down and pulled his blanket over him. He looked up to the ceiling for a moment praying he could stop hurting. He prayed he could live normally again. Closing his eyes, he decided that was impossible.


	2. Hidden Truths

**2.02: Hidden Truths**

_Sunday, January 29th, 2012_

Roman arrived outside of the Dimera Mansion and rang the doorbell. Rubbing his hands together due to the cold, he waited for someone to open the door, so he could talk to Stefano. Hearing footsteps behind him, he turned to find Maddalena walking towards him. "Maddalena, right? Are you here to talk to your brother, too?"

Maddalena found familiarity with Roman but figured he did not experience the same with her. "Yes, there are some things I must discuss with my brother," she replied with a forced smile. "What business do you have with my brother? You do know he is innocent."

Before Roman could respond, Harold opened the door, greeted them, and invited them in. He had already received specific instructions from EJ on what to do when visitors arrived. "If you two will wait in the living room, I will get Mr. Dimera for you."

Maddalena and Roman entered the living room and waited in silence as Harold headed into Stefano's office. Confused about the fact that things seemed fine in the mansion, Maddalena questioned if Harold would indeed send Stefano their way. She wondered if somehow her brother was saved after she left him on the pier. She hoped the possibility only remained that and not an actuality.

EJ entered the room and with a serious tone, stated, "Zia Maddalena… Commissioner Brady, how can I be of assistance? In my father's sudden absence, I do not know if you have wasted a trip here or not."

As Maddalena mentally sighed with relief, Roman showed agitation in his body as he asked for clarification. "Your father's sudden absence? Where is Stefano?"

"It seems he has left Salem," EJ declared. "I have not seen him since early last night when I was helping Samantha put the kids to bed. It's my assumption that he has escaped somehow."

Roman shook his head with an annoyed look. "Dammit. I knew this would happen once Judge Kirkpatrick changed his mind. Your father had to pull some strings for that to happen."

"I don't know anything," EJ rapidly proclaimed as Maddalena speculated the possibility that EJ was withholding the truth from Roman purposely.

Roman knew he would have to do a formal report and investigation now. "I will be back later to take an official report, but if you know anything about your father's whereabouts it would be better for you if you cooperated." Taking his leave, he left the mansion.

With Roman gone, Maddalena took the opportunity to dig for more information. "EJ, what plans do you have now?"

Tempted to tell his aunt the truth, EJ found something on the desk to distract himself for a moment. He wanted to contain the truth as much as possible, but he wondered if Maddalena could help him in deciding what his next move should be. Remembering how he spotted Maddalena talking to Mr. Olsen before his appointment as the new mayor, EJ knew his aunt had to be the one who pulled the strings to make that happen. He wondered what her angle was.

Clearing his throat, EJ finally shared, "I have news you may not want to hear, but my father is dead. We found him dead on the pier. It seems someone took their anger out on him, stabbed him, and left him for dead."

Maddalena stepped back and looked away from EJ. She put on a convincing look of shock and heartbreak. "Mio caro fratello is dead? That cannot be." She made sure to take a moment to study EJ's face to continue her act that this was the first time she had heard of Stefano's surprising _death_. With water in her eyes, Maddalena asked, "Who knows?"

EJ scratched his temple with his pointing finger and continued to question if he did the right thing in telling Maddalena what he did. "Well, you and I, Samantha, Alexandra, Marco, William and Chad.

"Where is everyone?" Maddalena asked as she looked around the room. She was surprised the house wasn't in complete chaos with the news on Stefano.

EJ took a deep breath as he answered, "Samantha is with the kids and Lucas, Marco is running security, Alexandra is at the hospital with Abe, Celeste, and Theo, and William is at his apartment."

Noting EJ didn't say anything about Chad, she followed up, "What about Chad? Where is your brother?"

More frustration filled EJ as he thought about his brother. "Chad is gone. He has left Salem."

Maddalena was pleased to hear that and figured Stefano's attack would be the extra push Chad needed to finally step out of the family picture. Even so, she made sure to keep the look of confusion and hurt in her eyes as she questioned aloud, "I wonder if his father's death was too much for him."

EJ nodded his head. "I believe you are right, but now he's set on cutting ties with all of us."

Maddalena moved on with another question, "You have not informed Kate of what has happened to her husband?"

"No," EJ started as he made his way to grab a glass of water. "Kate believes he has left Salem just as the Salem PD now think. She's upset, and I know I will have to tell her the truth eventually."

"Why have you not?"

EJ thought about Kate and explained, "There is the fear that she will be unable to keep this truth a secret."

Maddalena slightly nodded her head to let her nephew know she understood his reason. "I promise to keep this secret. Have you started planning the funeral?"

EJ shook his head. "We cannot have a funeral because we must not alert the authorities," he shared.

Maddalena was not pleased as a realization came over her. If the cops did not know the truth about Stefano, his name would never be cleared as she hoped. She needed the stain Stefano put on the family name to disappear and questioned whether anyone found the knife she used to stab her brother.

Deciding to broach the subject more with EJ another time, Maddalena wiped a tear from her eye. "I must take my leave, nipote. I have to mourn my brother as best I can in this situation. Please do not hesitate to call on me if you need assistance."

EJ watched his aunt as he agreed. "Please do the same."

Maddalena nodded her head and left.


	3. Contigo En La Distancia, Part 3

**2.03: Contigo En La Distancia, Part 3**

_Tuesday, January 31st, 2012_

Nathan stood outside of St. Luke's with Melanie for a moment as they watched others walk into the church. Nathan took Melanie needing her warmth to help him through his own grief as a doctor. "I have experienced the death a lot as a doctor, but Isobel's death has definitely been the hardest."

Melanie kissed Nathan on the cheek gently before attempting to explain his grief. "It's because we know Arianna so well. We want to help our friends out. I hope you know her death was not your fault. When you took over as her doctor, it was already clear she wasn't going to make it."

"I know," Nathan said softly, but he continued to feel the disappointment of the situation. Turning to the church entrance again, he separated from Melanie but kept her hand in his. "We should probably go in and find a seat."

When Melanie and Nathan entered the church, they walked over to Arianna, Manny, and Dario, who were greeting everyone outside the nave. Melanie started giving hugs to all three as Nathan followed. "How are you holding up?"

"It's been difficult," Manny admitted for all of them.

Arianna added, "We tried to contact Gabi, but she isn't returning our calls. We had to do the funeral without her as she requested in her note." Shaking her head, she realized, "I guess this means you're short a bridesmaid now."

Not wanting to make Isobel's funeral about her wedding problems, Melanie quickly quipped, "It's not a big deal."

Wanting to help the situation, Nathan shared, "Chad has left Salem, too, so now we're debating on just having two on each side." Silence followed his statement causing him to feel awkward about discussing his wedding. /he quickly apologized, "I shouldn't have said anything about that."

As Dario remained silent, Manny stepped in. "I think my siblings would agree that talking about something else is something we all welcome. It's been hard when everyone wants to talk about our mother and her death." Arianna nodded her head in agreement trying to hold back on the tears that wanted to come out.

"Well, any time you guys need a distraction or something, let us know," Melanie offered. "For now, Nathan and I will go find a seat since it's almost that time."

Manny looked at the time and nodded his head. "We'll join everyone in a moment."

Arianna turned her gaze and looked over the crowd that had already gathered. She wasn't sure what to think of the large Dimera presence at her mother's funeral. She expected EJ and Sami to come but was surprised to see Maddalena and Ignazio there.

After Melanie and Nathan walked off to find a seat, Sonny entered the church. Seeing Dario there, outside of the sanctuary, brought memories of the last time he saw Dario. He wondered if Dario even wanted him there.

Spotting Sonny, Manny grabbed Arianna's arm and suggested, "We should talk to Father Matt to see if he is ready and then find our seats. Dario, we'll see you in there when you're ready to come in."

Confused as to why his brother and sister were leaving him to greet the rest of the guests alone, Dario finally turned his eyes to the entrance of the church after Manny and Arianna walked inside the nave. He watched as Sonny moved closer to him and didn't know what to say because he didn't expect to see Sonny there after everything that happened in the morgue. Showing no affect, Dario managed to open his mouth. "Thanks for coming."

Sonny swallowed hard and gave Dario a nod. His body felt weak, and he had to remind himself to keep the focus on Isobel's funeral and to avoid talking about them. "Will wanted to be here, but he is kind of a mess right now and didn't want to take away from your mom's funeral."

Dario looked down for a moment because he had heard Chad left town from Ignazio. Looking up to Sonny again, he stated, "No one is meant to be happy in this life." After he spoke, he wished he didn't say anything at all and decided to dismiss himself. "I guess I will see you around at some point since this is Salem," he said before walking off.

Sonny paused a moment to allow Dario his space before walking in to find a seat. He found his parents, Brady, and Victor and sat next to them just as the funeral began. While Father Matt prayed and spoke about death, Sonny couldn't keep his eyes off Dario, who sat in the front. Dario's face radiated from the tears that fell down his face.

Arianna and Manny read scriptures before Dario went up with his guitar. After plugging it in, he said, "Mama asked me to play this song for her today. This song used to have a different meaning for me, but now it's forever changed. I apologize if my emotions overpower my performance. I want this to be perfect for her."

Dario began to perform _Contigo_ _En La_ _Distancia_. Sonny quickly recognized the tone in Dario's voice was different this time. The quality in his voice was darker and didn't contain the same hope when Dario performed it for him at the Kiriakis cabin. Instead of the song being the one that once brought them together, it became the song that would keep them apart.

Dario caught Sonny's gaze as he looked over the crowd while he continued to sing. He felt the contrast as well and knew this song was no longer his song to Sonny. It belonged to his mother just as his life did. Closing his eyes, he prayed as he sang. He asked for God's guidance and healing so he could make his mother proud. When he finished the song, he opened his eyes and looked over to Ignazio, who seemed proud of him.

After Dario took his seat again, Father Matt came forward to close Isobel's funeral services. He talked about her love for her children and how she truly believed God would take care of them after her death as he always did. He emphasized the importance of walking through life with God in mind and that was exactly what Isobel did. Dario made sure to pay close attention.

Father Matt said a prayer and music began to play to signal the funeral was over. Everyone except for Arianna, Manny, and Dario stood up and walked out of the church to head to the cemetery. When everyone had exited, Manny, Arianna, and Dario got up and stood next to their mother's casket. Arianna took her brothers' hands and looked at them with great sadness. "I'll go out and see if the hearse is outside and send in EJ's men to help you with Mama."

Manny nodded his head as Arianna let go of their hands to leave. Turning to his brother, he placed his hand on Dario's shoulder. "Mama is still with us, Dario."

Outside of the church, Arianna found Marco and a few man standing by the hearse. "Marco, what are you doing here?"

"I told EJ I would drive," Marco answered before sending the other men into the church. "I stood in the back of the church. The service…"

Arianna put her hand out to stop Marco from talking. "Thanks, Marco. You have really put yourself out there, and I am sorry I have purposely avoided you this whole time."

"Arianna…" Marco cut in.

Shaking her head, Arianna continued, "No, Marco. I want you to tell me about Azzura. I know it's the day of my mother's funeral, but I want to know because I desperately want to focus on something else for just a moment. Can you give that to me?"

Marco felt uneasy talking about Azzura but wanted to give Arianna the truth. "The flirting you saw between Azzura and me was all a job. I was ordered by EJ to seduce Azzura to find out more about her. I am sorry that you had to witness that, and I hope you know I would rather only flirt with you because I care deeply for you."

Arianna watched Marco for a moment because she was at a loss for words. Collecting herself, she asked, "Was it just flirting or was there any physical contact between you and Azzura?"

Marco showed great discomfort in his face as he answered, "No. There was physical contact, but it meant nothing. It was a job."

"That's supposed to make me feel better?" Arianna called him out as her brothers and the other men came out of the church with her mother in the casket. "We're done here, Marco. It was wrong of me to ask you to talk about this. I have important things I need to deal with."

Marco looked straight ahead, kept his emotions in check, and focused on the job he eagerly volunteered to do so he could show his support to Arianna. When the casket was close enough, he helped the men put the casket in the hearse before heading to the driver's seat. Dario and Manny went to Arianna's side as they stepped into the car. Arianna couldn't look Marco in the face any longer.


	4. In Need of a Scapegoat

**2.04: In Need of a Scapegoat**

_Friday, February 3rd, 2012_

Maddalena sat in her office with her phone to her ear. Once she heard Tony's voice on the other side, she released a sigh of relief. "Anthony, I am glad to have finally reached you. I could use some good news."

"Zia Maddalena, what is bothering you?" Tony asked.

Maddalena thought about her talk with EJ the weekend before. "I have news from your brother, EJ. With regret, I have discovered my brother may have actually been innocent in the attacks on Abraham, William, and Samantha. I was too quick to judge my brother due to his past crimes as well as the stain he has left on our family legacy."

Tony was surprised to hear the news as well. He truly believed Stefano was guilty of the crimes considering the things he had done to him and others in the past. "What does that mean?"

With confidence, Maddalena declared, "I will find the real perpetrator. I will clear your father's name of all the crimes."

"How do you plan on accomplishing that task?" Tony questioned. He wondered if there was anything he could do to help.

Maddalena admitted, "It will be difficult due to the fact that mio caro fratello has been killed by the true guilty party. I was informed by your brother that he and Alexandra found Stefano on the pier. Someone had stabbed him and left him for dead. It's all very suspicious because the knife that implicated Stefano was found next to him." Taking a breath, she continued, "EJ then told me he has decided to keep Stefano's death a secret and has told everyone else Stefano has fled town. I struggle with this deeply because this secret could complicate things for our family. The belief that Stefano has fled only makes him appear guilty and hurts the family name as well. It will be hard to clear his name."

Tony couldn't believe the turn of events and questioned if he could ever truly believe Stefano was indeed dead. "Do you have any idea who the real perpetrator could be – the one who set up father?"

Maddalena nodded her head to sound more convincing to Tony sharing, "I have an idea, but I want to be certain before I say anything because too much blood has been spilled."

Tony agreed before suggesting, "It is possible EJ is attempting to do the same. He can clear father's name while getting the one who is truly responsible to come out from the shadows. After he has him or her, he can come out with father's death and how it happened as evidence against this person. The person has to be on edge since their plan didn't work out how he or she wanted."

Maddalena swallowed hard hearing Tony's words of insight on the guilty party. Her plans did not follow through as she had hoped. With Colin gone, she believed she lost a resource in making sure everything didn't fall apart before she could restore the family. Hiding her increased worry, she thought about the scapegoat she had set up before Stefano was even arrested to put her mind at ease as much as possible. She knew she needed to continue to put feelers out there to make sure her new plan would fix everything. She couldn't take the chance in EJ or anyone else figuring things out.

"Zia?" Tony called out due to Maddalena's silence.

Maddalena quickly replied, "Oh, my apologies. I was deep in thought. Tell me about your progress."

Tony cleared his throat before sharing, "I am close to tracking down one of the family members. I believe this one will lead me to another."

Maddalena was pleased to hear something positive. "Keep at it, Anthony!" she encouraged. Speaking with more confidence, she continued, "The family name will be restored to its rightful place."

"I hope so," Tony replied.

Maddalena looked at the time. "Keep your phone close. I will call at another time or if you have new information for me, do not hesitate to call me." Tony agreed and said goodbye. After Maddalena hung up her phone and placed it on her desk, she thought about her scapegoat and whispered aloud, "I cannot afford to make any mistakes, Victor Kiriakis."


	5. Chad's Car

**2.05: Chad's Car**

_Sunday, February 5th, 2012_

Will walked into the Dimera mansion in search of EJ. EJ had called him to talk about Chad's possible whereabouts, and Will desperately wanted to know if EJ had found him. Finding EJ in the living room, he skipped the formalities and asked, "So do you know where Chad is?"

EJ turned around to face Will knowing that this was a big deal for Will. He remembered how Will was set on believing that Chad was no longer a possibility in his life but had eventually come around after some time to think to himself. "It's possible, but I am not sure this is what you really want."

Will grabbed the back of his neck and wondered why EJ was stalling with his information. "Of course I want to know. I know my parents and others don't understand it, but I can't just shut off my feelings for Chad. I tried, but it's not possible."

"I know, William – trust me, I know," EJ replied. "I only want to know you're going to be okay whether we find Chad or not. He walked away from you and left you out there. I love my brother, but… I don't know. I don't want to see you get hurt again."

Will was caught off guard by EJ's concern for him even if they had become close over the last year. "I appreciate it, EJ – I really do." Will thought about how he had dedicated a song to Chad the night before and hoped Chad heard it. "I know Chad left me, but I made some mistakes, too. He told me he didn't love me and that it was all an act, but I can't let that be the only conversation we have about it. There's more he's not telling me – there has to be."

Reflecting on his own experience with Sami, EJ took a deep breath before relating, "I know what you mean."

"So you know where Chad is?"

EJ shook his head. "Unfortunately, I have bad news. Chad sold his car and withdrew almost all of his money in St. Louis, Missouri. I thought I had him, but I can't find him because all our leads are cold."

Discouraged, Will looked down in defeat. "Maybe I won't get the answers I want. I guess it's possible Chad is going to hide from us forever."

Trying to encourage Will, EJ swiftly countered, "No one can hide forever. We will pick up his trail eventually."

Kate walked in interrupting EJ and Will's conversation. When she saw her grandson, she walked over to him and asked, "What's going on here?" Giving Will a hug, she thought about her own situation with Stefano and said, "I am so sorry Chad left you behind. He truly let go of the best thing that happened in his life."

Will held onto his grandmother for a short time before letting her go. He felt uncomfortable with the fact that she still believed Stefano had left town. "Thanks, Grandma Kate. I should head home even if it does haunt me."

Kate watched as Will left the mansion before turning to EJ. She did not enjoy seeing the misery her grandson was experiencing. "What were you talking to my grandson about? Was it about your idiotic brother making the same mistake as your father and how they walked away from love?"

EJ knew he couldn't keep this secret anymore. "That doesn't matter right now. Kate, there is something I need to tell you about father. It could change everything for you."

Kate moved in closer. She was all ears.


	6. Quitting

**2.06: Quitting**

_Monday, February 6th, 2012_

Arriving outside of the Cheatin' Heart, Ignazio stopped Dario from going in and questioned, "Why are we here? I thought we were going to eat elsewhere?"

Dario nodded his head. "Yeah, that's still the plan, but there's something I need to do."

Ignazio scratched his arm filled with uncertainty. He looked through the window and hoped Sonny wasn't around to pull Dario back into his orbit. With as much understanding as he could muster, he replied, "Okay. Sure."

Dario headed into the Cheatin' Heart with Ignazio behind him. When he spotted Adrienne at the bar, he placed his hand on Ignazio's chest to stop him. "Stay here – please." Making his way to the bar alone, Dario grabbed Adrienne's attention by calling out her name.

Adrienne finished what she was doing and walked to the side of the bar where Dario stood. "Dario, what are you doing here? Is everything okay?"

"Boss," Dario started realizing this would be the last time he would call her that. "There's… I need to talk to you about my job here."

Adrienne looked to Dario intently to let him know he had her full attention. "Do you want to push back when you return? I understand that grieving your mother with your family takes priority."

Dario shook his head. "I know we discussed before that I would return in the next week or so, but I don't think I should return here at all." Dario thought about what happened with Sonny and then finding out about his new family. "I appreciate what you've provided for me here, but I need to move forward in my life."

Adrienne thought about how she noticed the distance between Sonny and Dario at Isobel's funeral, and then remembered her last conversation with Isobel in the hospital. Internally, she questioned if Dario was truly moving forward or taking a few steps back. "Is this decision family related?"

Dario grabbed his shoulder feeling a sense of loss in his decision. He then reminded himself that he still had Manny and Arianna as well as a new brother, Ignazio, and grandmother, Maddalena. "There has been a recent shift in my life and I must adjust," he claimed. "Please don't take this the wrong way," he continued. "I truly appreciate everything you and your family have done for me."

Water began to form in Adrienne's eyes realizing that Dario's quitting was most likely a permanent goodbye. She pulled Dario into a hug and shared, "I hope you know you will always have a home with us."

Dario pulled himself away from Adrienne as he commented, "I already have a new home. I should go."

Adrienne watched as Dario left with Ignazio. She was confused and curious about what Dario had said. What did he mean by a new home, and why was he now so close to Ignazio?

Outside, Ignazio patted Dario on the back and shared, "Brother, I am proud of you for doing what is right for your life."

Dario gave his brother a solemn look because cutting himself off from the Kiriakis family was more difficult than he wanted. "I don't feel so proud anymore. I'm doing what Mama wanted me to do so I can honor her for as long as I live on this earth."

Ignazio felt torn with what his brother had just shared. He hoped Isobel didn't get in the way of Dario fully committing to the Dimera family. "I'm on your side," he asserted while pulling Dario close.


	7. Switching Rooms

**2.07: Switching Rooms**

_Tuesday, February 7th, 2012_

After school, Will arrived back to his place and threw himself on the couch hoping he would be able to relax after a long day. Sonny walked into the room and could see that Will had another hard day. Attempting to keep the topic off of their exes, he asked Will, "How's school going?"

Will rested his head on the back of the couch and turned it toward Sonny. "A few people asked where Chad was today, but I managed to avoid answering questions thanks to Abigail and Brett helping me."

Sonny took a seat next to Will. He hated that Chad was still on the top of Will's mind, but he understood it. He couldn't just forget Dario either. Trying to encourage Will, he mentioned, "It seems you're doing better."

Will turned his head to look forward as he admitted, "I don't know if that's true. It still hurts. I want to move on, but a part of me still hopes Chad will come back or at least send me a message to let me know where he is."

Sonny rested his head on the couch now as he reflected on his situation with Dario. "I know what you mean."

Wanting to avoid talking about Chad even though he brought him up, Will asked, "Any news on Dario? Is he still mad at you?"

"Of course he's still mad at me," Sonny confirmed while shaking his head in self-loathing. "I pushed him away to save him from the pain I always cause him. My mom called me the other day to tell me Dario quit his job, which means I am going to see less of him. Maybe this really is the end for Dario and me – I guess I should have figured that out when I pushed him away."

Will shook his head as well because he didn't understand Sonny's actions. As he spoke, his tone filled with more frustration, "I know you love Dario and you want him to live a good life, but you two love each other. It doesn't make sense that you would push him away like that. You didn't hurt him, and he's not some damsel who needs you to make decisions for him to keep him safe. Dario is a strong guy and can make his own decisions. Is it hard for you to see that maybe he would have stuck by you through this even if he was in pain from what happened?"

Sonny took in everything Will said and realized he couldn't take Will's words personal. "Is this about me and Dario or you and Chad?"

Will realized he had lost himself and looked away in shame. "I am so sorry. I completely took my frustration out on you. I just don't get it though. I don't understand how anyone can lie and walk away from love."

"I don't know how I did it either," Sonny admitted knowing Will's words of frustration could easily relate to what he did to Dario. "I just wanted to save Dario I guess. Maybe Chad thought the same thing, but we will never know that because he hasn't come back or even said a word."

Will looked up again and questioned, "Have you talked to Dario about why you pushed him away?"

Sonny thought about Isobel's funeral. "He knows I still love him, and he knows I pushed him away to take his guilt away for not being there when she died. I asked him to blame me, and I managed to get him to a point where he could hate me and not himself… but honestly, I don't think that really had the outcome I wanted. Dario seems different."

Will let out a deep sigh. "I don't understand why love isn't enough anymore," he groaned before throwing up the question, "Was it ever enough?"

Sonny thought about his reservations on Chad from the beginning and wondered if he should have stopped Will from doing anything with Chad. "What if it wasn't really ever there?"

Sonny's question crushed Will and he didn't want to give him an answer. "I'm not ready for that," he insisted. "Maybe Chad never loved me like you said, but I can't go down that road because it will keep me down and depressed."

"Is this any better?" Sonny marveled. "You've been sleeping on the couch since Chad left. How long do you plan on sleeping out here?"

Will threw his hands up and let them fall on the couch again. He was clearly more agitated because Sonny seemed set on him giving up on Chad. "I don't know, Sonny. I can't bring myself to sleep in my bed because it was _our_ bed. I don't know what to do."

An idea popped into Sonny's head. It was out there, but he figured it was worth mentioning. "How about we switch bedrooms. I'll sleep in your room and you can sleep in mine. Those memories will be gone because you don't have memories in my room."

"Don't be so sure of that," Will cautioned as he remembered the night he and Sonny first moved in. He then agreed, "I think it's a good idea. As comfortable as this couch is, it will be nice to sleep in a bedroom again."

Sonny gave Will a smile. "Good. It's settled then. We'll do it tonight." Pulling himself off the couch, he voiced, "I have a few things I need to do in my room before dinner, so I will go do that. I think what's most important is that we don't close ourselves off from each other because I think we can help each other through this."

Will nodded his head in agreement and wished he hadn't closed himself off from Chad when it came to his attack. He thought he was doing them both a favor, but reflecting on it now made Will realize that by closing himself off from Chad, he did his part in making sure everything fell apart. "I'll try."

Before Sonny could head to his room, there was a knock on the door. After walking over, he opened the door and let Brett in. "Brett, did you need something?"

Brett spotted Will on the couch and directed his response to him instead of Sonny. "I wanted to check in and see if you wanted to study music theory together, Will. It could help you get your mind off things."

Will stood up from the couch. "That sounds great," he exclaimed. He welcomed the distraction.

Sonny closed the door and watched Brett and Will for a moment before returning to his room. He noted how Brett seemed to be in for the kill since Chad was now out of the picture. He wondered if Will had caught on yet.


	8. Lucas and Allie Leave

**2.08: Lucas and Allie Leave**

_Saturday, February 11th, 2012_

Walking into the living room of the Dimera mansion, Will spotted his parents, siblings, Kate, EJ, Maddalena, and Azzura talking to each other after breakfast. Lucas and Allie were headed for the airport soon, and he wanted to make sure he said bye to his dad and sister before they headed back to Hong Kong. As soon as his brother and sisters saw him, they ran over to him and gave him a big hug. "Hey guys. How was breakfast?"

"It was okay," Johnny said.

Allie agreed and added, "We had to eat this nasty jelly that isn't from here."

Will humored his siblings and made a playful disgusted face as he pulled Allie into a tight hug. "You know I am going to miss you, right?"

Allie nodded her head as Lucas walked over to give Will a hug. "I was afraid you weren't going to show."

Will stood up and gave Lucas a hug. "Why wouldn't I?" Will asked rhetorically. "It seems every time I've gotten used to having you and Allie around, it's time for you two to leave."

Lucas looked Will over and felt bad for everything his son had been through. As much as he hated the hurt Will was going through with Chad leaving, he felt a bit relieved that Chad was now out of the picture. "I wish Allie and I could stay longer, but I promised Sophie I would be back by Valentine's Day. What kind of boyfriend would I be if I wasn't with her for that?"

Trying not to think about Valentine's, Will nodded his head to let him know he understood. "Don't get me wrong, I'm kind of glad you're heading back because you need to live your life. I am okay and will be fine."

Lucas pulled Will into the foyer, so they could have a moment alone. "I know this is hard for you, and you don't want me to worry, but I still want to help you through this. Let me give you some advice."

"Okay," Will reluctantly let out to appease his dad one last time. "What's your advice?"

Lucas gave Will a serious look before advising, "Getting over someone takes time, but it is possible. I've had to get over love many times, so I guess in an unfortunate way, I am a pro at getting over people. You know your mom and I have a long and complicated history, and – believe it or not – we did love each other. When we didn't work out, it took me some time to fully get over her and get used to the fact that she could be happy with someone else. I had to accept it was over for good and find happiness elsewhere."

Will thought about what Lucas was saying to him and wasn't ready to accept that it was over between him and Chad. "It's only been a couple of weeks, dad. Anything could happen. Chad could come back."

Lucas gave his son a look of regret. "Chad's not coming back, Will. I hate to say it, and I know you probably think I am just saying this because I don't like Chad, but there's so much you don't know about him. While you were in that coma after your attack, Chad and I had a long talk about your relationship. He felt out of place with you and pretty much admitted to me he wasn't gay. He felt guilty for what happened on the pier that night, and I believe that's why he came out to Jack and the news. He believed it would make you wake up."

Will's eyes began to water due to hearing his father's account on how Chad felt about their relationship. In some ways, Lucas had confirmed some of the things Chad said to him the last time he saw him. Maybe Chad was being honest with him about not being gay. Pushing his emotions back, he breathed, "I guess it will take time, but I know I don't want to feel this misery forever. I can't live like this."

Lucas pulled Will into another hug feeling at peace that Will would finally move on from Chad. "If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to call me. Even if I am on the other side of the world, I am here for you."

"Thanks dad," Will let out as he held his dad for a moment.

Azzura came into the foyer with Sami, Kate, and the kids because it was time for Lucas and Allie to head to the airport. Since this was the second time Lucas was heading back to Hong Kong, she realized Lucas could never be the answer to breaking up EJ and Sami when Maddalena gave her the go ahead to try again. "I know this must be quite difficult for you, Sami."

Sami nodded her head as she watched Allie give Johnny and Sydney big hugs. "I wish this didn't have to happen, but I know she also loves it in Hong Kong."

Will watched Sami and Azzura as they continued to talk about Allie. For some reason, he felt extremely uncomfortable with their friendship and wondered if he felt uneasy due to the idea that his mother could have a friend.

Lucas walked over to his mother, who seemed a bit out of it. "Everything is going to be fine, mom," he whispered to her.

Kate looked to Lucas and gave him a worried look. "Please be safe."

Lucas gave his mother a smile to assure her everything would work out. "I have to admit, I am feeling pretty good about life. With Stefano and Chad out of the picture, I can rest easier."

Kate thought about what EJ said to her about Stefano and shook her head at Lucas. "Well, at least one of us can. Call me when you arrive, okay?"

Lucas decided to drop the conversation and nodded his head.

Back inside the living room, Maddalena approached EJ to see how he was holding up. "How are things in the home?"

EJ thought about his father and the family. With confidence, he shared, "Things will heal and this family will continue to thrive."

"I hope you know I am very proud of you," Maddalena approved. "You remind me so much of my father – you are a good man."

Before EJ could respond, Arianna rushed in from the side door. "EJ, I'm here to inform you that we will be out of the mansion soon enough. We have a few things to get in order on where we will be living, but you won't have to worry about us anymore."

EJ sensed a coldness coming from Arianna and was confused by it. "I have already told you to take your time. We are still friends."

Arianna hadn't planned on making a scene, but she couldn't hold in her disappointment any longer. "No, we are not friends, EJ."

"What are you talking about?" EJ asked as Maddalena stepped back to observe.

Arianna shook her head at EJ. "We may have been friends at one point, EJ, but we can't be anymore. You are just as bad as your father. You tell others to do evil things to get what you want accomplished – the ends justify the means, right? That's what you live by? Well, just so you know, you are destroying other's lives by ordering them around. You are turning good men into evil ones. You are a pimp and the men who follow your directions are selling themselves away until there is nothing left of them."

Troubled by Arianna's accusations, EJ stepped in before Arianna could continue. "Have I hurt you in some way? I apologize if…"

"Save your apology, EJ," Arianna quickly quipped. "I appreciate what you've done for my family, but this ends here. I wanted to leave respectfully, but I guess I am too disappointed in you. You are better than this, EJ. Now that your father is gone, don't allow yourself to fill in the shoes he left behind. Stop this!"

EJ was still confused. "I don't know what I have done wrong. I am not like my father. I am my own man."

"Then prove it," Arianna challenged him. "Don't ruin anymore lives for your need of control."

Maddalena and EJ watched as Arianna walked out and then turned to each other. "I don't think you're anything like your father," she said to her nephew. Maddalena liked what she saw in Arianna and enjoyed how she challenged EJ. Arianna could be useful to her.


	9. Awkward Moment

**2.09: Awkward Moment**

_Monday, February 13th, 2012_

Class had been dismissed. Sonny placed his book in his bag and closed it so he could head out to meet up with Will. He promised Will he would meet him outside of the school cafeteria for a snack between classes and didn't want to waste any time in case there was a long line to get in. As he headed out of the room, he heard someone call his name, so he turned around. With some awkwardness, he let out, "Kai… what's up?"

"This semester seems harder, doesn't it?" Kai commented returning the awkwardness.

Sonny gave Kai a guarded look. "Yeah, but I guess it should be that way. Did you need something?"

Kai adjusted his books in his hands. He gave Sonny a curious look as he mentioned, "Sometimes you don't have time to have fun, but I want to make sure I have some kind of social life – especially tomorrow since it's Valentine's Day."

Sonny suddenly felt flushed as he questioned if Kai was trying to ask him out on Valentine's Day. It was completely unexpected because they had avoided each other since Kai's drunken night at The Cheatin' Heart. Scratching the side of his face, he claimed, "I'll probably just watch movies at my place."

Kai swallowed hard before asking his next question. "Do you know what Will is doing tomorrow night?"

Realizing that Kai brought up Valentine's Day to ask Will out, Sonny froze for a second as he tried to collect himself so he could play off the shock. "I don't know if that's a good idea – I guess I am assuming here… but Will is still hung up on Chad. I don't think he's ready to be anyone's valentine."

Kai became slightly defensive by Sonny's telling him not to pursue Will. "Look, I only want to be there as a friend since Will and I were cheated on. I know where he's coming from." As Sonny looked away, Kai quickly realized what he had said and began to apologize, "Sonny, I am sorry I came to you about Will. It was highly inappropriate. Let's just forget this happened."

Sonny kept his gaze away from Kai as Kai walked off. After his ex was gone, Sonny adjusted his bag and headed out in search for Will. He couldn't believe the attention Will was getting from all the guys. Heading out to the cafeteria, Sonny caught up with Will outside. "Hey. I just realized something."

"What?" Will asked as he peered through the crowd.

"Tomorrow is Valentine's day," Sonny replied. "You have plans?"

Will didn't realize that today was the 13th of February. It had been a month since his attack on the pier. "I guess I haven't thought about it either. I've been too distracted to think about Valentine's. Maybe that's a good thing."

Sonny could tell by the look on Will's face that he was thinking about Chad. "Will…"

"Horton!" Ezra yelled as he walked over with his hand out. "I've got something for you."

Will grabbed an envelope from Ezra's hand and asked, "What is this?"

"It's a secret," Ezra emphasized before explaining, "Just read it, and you'll understand. I'll catch you later." After patting Will on the back, Ezra walked off.

Will opened the envelope and looked it over. "It looks like my initiation into Kappa starts tomorrow at the pub. I'm supposed to meet Ezra there with a packed bag for the night."

"Oh?" was all Sonny could get out.

Putting the envelope in his bag, Will playfully pointed out, "Well, I guess I'll have a valentine's date tomorrow with Kappa. I was going to suggest we just hang out tomorrow, but you should find some hunk to spend time with if you're still not wanting to talk to Dario about giving you another chance."

Sonny gave Will a funny look. He wasn't too sure about either of the options Will presented.


	10. VD

**2.10: VD**

_Tuesday, February 14th_, _2012_

At the Brady Pub, Chelsea sat with Dario and Ignazio. It had been a little more than two weeks since Isobel's death, and Dario was clearly still affected by it. Understanding that Dario needed time to process and heal through everything, Chelsea leaned into the table and offered, "If you want to talk about your mom, Ignazio and I can help you. We are all friends here."

Ignazio watched Chelsea and Dario for a moment. Even though he wanted to help Dario, too, he didn't think talking about it was what Dario needed. "We don't have to talk about your madre. We can talk about something else."

Chelsea moved back in her chair as Dario remained quiet. She wondered why Ignazio opposed the idea of processing through Isobel's death. "Ignazio, you mentioned that you lost your mother at a young age. What did you do when you grieved her?"

"My experience is not what is important at the moment," Ignazio stated calmly. "Sometimes it is good to focus on something else."

Dario finally looked to his brother and Chelsea because he had made his decision on what he wanted to do. "Let's talk about something else," he requested.

Chelsea fought her frustration with Dario and Ignazio and decided to ask Dario a different question. "How are your siblings?"

"Everything has been packed and we're moving out of the guesthouse at the end of the week," Dario answered.

Even though it wasn't the answer she exactly wanted, Chelsea chose to keep the conversation going. "Where are you moving?"

Dario slightly felt apprehensive as he shared, "Victor Kiriakis has provided a condo for the family because he offered Arianna a job. Manny and Ari are moving in there, but I am not sure what I am going to do. I really don't want to live there because of the Sonny connection. I think it's best if I just avoid that whole family."

As Ignazio was pleased to hear Dario say that, Chelsea thought about what Sonny told her about his situation with Dario. She didn't understand why they kept pushing each other away. "I think you should give it a try. Maybe things won't be so hard for you and Sonny this time around."

Ignazio had a different idea. He didn't want Dario thinking about giving into Sonny anymore. "Why don't you move in with me in the guesthouse? EJ told me I could still have it when your brother and sister move out."

Dario gave Ignazio an interested look while Chelsea questioned why Ignazio was so against Sonny. "I'll think about it," Dario let out.

Will walked into the pub with a backpack and spotted Ezra talking with Abigail at a booth. Confused, he walked over and asked, "What's going on? Where are the other guys?"

Ezra motioned for Will to take a seat next to him. "We're relaxing tonight, so there's no reason to be afraid. I invited Deveraux to join us since it's Valentine's Day."

"Oh." Will took a seat next to Ezra and placed his bag down by his legs. Turning to his cousin, he said, "It's weird that it's already Valentine's Day."

Abigail nodded her head and agreed. "I didn't have anything planned for the day. It seems no one at my house is celebrating, so I figured it would just be a night filled with homework for me. Luckily, Ezra called and said you two were hanging out tonight and that I should join you two."

Patting Will on the back, Ezra looked to Abigail and said, "I told Horton that his initiation started tonight, but I don't know what I want him to do yet. I'm glad he's in Kappa. He could be in my shoes one day."

Abigail raised her eyebrows as she turned to Will to give him an impressed look. "Wow. President of Kappa. Would you be interested in that?"

Will shrugged his shoulders and felt this weirdness come over him. He soon recognized the odd feeling as paranoia and turned to Ezra. "I don't understand. Why are you so interested in me?"

Ezra sensed some hostility in Will and remained calm. Turning his body in the booth so that he could face Will completely, he responded with, "I don't understand either." Catching Will's full attention, he continued, "I don't know how you don't see it, but you're a really good guy. Everyone around you is inspired by you because you are really brave."

Will looked into Ezra's eyes and saw sincerity in them. A genuine smile crept on his face for the first time since Chad left, and he didn't know what to do with it. "Thanks, Ezra. I'm not that great."

"Come on, Horton…" Ezra let out.

Will couldn't handle the compliment and decided to stand up. After everything he had been through in his life, he couldn't accept that anyone could see greatness in him. "I should say hi to my great-grandmother while I'm here. I'll be back."

After Will walked off, Ezra turned his body again so he could face Abigail. "He'll eventually realize it one day."

Abigail smiled at Ezra with appreciation and respect. "It's great what you're doing for Will. He definitely needs someone taking him under their wing right now. We've all been through crazy stuff, but I think he's really had the worst of it all."

Ezra nodded his head. "I feel bad for Will because of what Chad did to him. I want to make sure he doesn't give up on his life. Hopefully I can help him find something to live for." Making eye contact with Abigail, he admitted, "I know if a girl rejected me in the same way Chad rejected Will, I would feel like complete shit."

Abigail's thoughts immediately went to Josh as she looked away. "Right."

"Whoa!" Ezra quickly let out as he grabbed Abigail's hand. Realizing his mistake, he insisted, "I am happy to spend Valentine's with you even if it's just as friends."

Abigail nodded her head knowing she could believe Ezra. "Thanks. I am glad you invited me."


	11. Arianna's Rejection

**2.11: Arianna's Rejection**

_Thursday, February 16th, 2012_

Arriving at the Kiriakis mansion, Manny and Arianna got out of her car and looked around. After looking at his watch, he turned to Arianna and said, "Dario said he would meet us here."

Hearing a car pull up, Arianna turned around to see if it was Dario, but she didn't recognize the car. After it parked, Dario exited the car from the passenger side. "Dario, who drove you here?"

Dario moved closer to Manny and Arianna as he answered, "Ignazio is actually in the driver's seat, but he's not leaving because I'm not staying for this whole meeting with Victor."

"What do you mean?" Arianna asked.

"I came here to tell you that I'm not moving in that condo with you," Dario announced.

Manny gave Dario a curious look. "Don't be foolish, Dario. Victor has offered us a place to stay. We don't have any other option, so you will move in with us. Where else would you go?"

Dario became defensive because Manny had called him a fool and hinted to the idea that he couldn't take care of himself. "You think I would tell you I'm not moving in with you two without a plan. I am staying at the guesthouse. After you two move out, Ignazio is moving in and invited me to stay with him."

Arianna gave Dario a disappointed look. Thinking about her argument with EJ, she declared, "There is no way you are staying on Dimera property. We will find a place of our own eventually, but for now it's better that we all get out of that place."

Remembering his promise to Isobel to keep Dario away from the Dimeras, Manny wondered how this could happen. Trying to hide his frustration more than Arianna, he added, "Your sister is right. We are not splitting up this family. We are moving into that condo together and that's what has been decided for our family."

Dario gave Manny and Arianna an offended look. "How old do you think I am? I've already made my decision. I'm doing what is best for me, and moving in with Ignazio is just that. There's nothing you can say that will change my mind."

Manny quickly got in Dario's face unable to hide his frustration anymore. "What about our family?"

Dario took a deep breath because he didn't want to fight with Manny or Arianna about this. He didn't want to put distance between them. "I love you guys, and I am not going to ignore you or anything. I just have to do this. Please don't take this personally."

Arianna placed her hand on Manny's shoulder to get him to back off for now. She didn't want a repeat of how Gabi walked out on them. "Do what you have to do, Dario, but I am holding you to your word. We will still see each other like a family. Not living together changes nothing."

Dario appreciated Arianna for supporting him and decided not to call her out on her quick turnaround. He wanted to keep the peace. "I promise it won't change anything. I'll let you have that meeting with Victor now. Good luck with all of that."

Manny and Arianna watched as Dario returned to Ignazio's car. After they drove off, Arianna turned to her brother and encouraged, "Everything will be fine, Manny. I don't like it that Dario will be around the Dimeras, but we are his family. Some friend can't get in the way of that."

Manny gave Arianna an apprehensive look because he knew Ignazio wasn't just a friend to Dario. He wondered if he should tell Arianna the truth about Dario and Ignazio being brothers, but when he remembered where they were, he decided against it for now. "Let's go in and talk to Victor. Hopefully he will be understanding."

Henderson showed Arianna and Manny into the Kiriakis living room, where Victor sat alone reading the Salem Spectator. "Can I get you two anything?"

Arianna shook her head as Victor folded up his newspaper. After Henderson left the room, she stepped forward. "I want to talk to you about your job offer before we move into the condo."

Victor stood up and questioned, "Are you having second thoughts about taking me up on my offer? I need a new right hand to run security now that Nico has decided to suddenly retire."

When Victor turned to him, Manny stated, "I am here to support my sister."

"Well, isn't that just precious," Victor let out with a straight face before returning his gaze to Arianna. With a bit more agitation in his voice, he questioned, "Are you about to blindside me? You know I don't like any sort of surprise."

Arianna figured it would be best to just come out with it. "I told you before Roman offered me a job on the force, and I have decided to take him up on it. I know it's a downgrade in pay and benefits, but I believe this is the right decision for me." She decided not to explain that what happened with EJ and Marco caused her to sway her in that direction. She didn't want to be the Marco of the Kiriakis family even if she still had a great deal of respect for Victor.

Victor remained quiet for a moment but kept his eyes on Arianna. Finally breaking his silence, he shared, "I understand you must do what is best for you, but I have a condo and a position to fill."

Manny began to panic that they no longer had a place to move into. "Victor…"

"Manny, do you want the job?" Victor quickly offered.

Arianna looked at her brother and could see Victor's offer caught Manny off guard just as much as it did her. Knowing that her brother was having a hard time landing a job due to his prison past, she recommended, "You should take the job if you want it.

Manny put his hand out to Victor after taking a quick breath. "I'll take it if you really think I am right for the job."

Victor chose to be honest with Manny. "Well, obviously you're not my first choice, and I do remember the game you played on my great-nephew last summer. Even so, I know your sister will keep you in check to make sure you don't screw me or my family over. I need someone who is willing to do whatever to protect my family, and I know you will do what you have to do because your family is my family as far as I'm concerned."

Manny turned to Arianna to make sure she was really okay with this. In her silence, he replied, "I will do what is necessary to keep everyone safe. I accept your offer."

Victor shook Manny's hand and nodded. "Nico is leaving his post in June. He will train you between now and then, so you will report to him after you have moved into the condo."


	12. Max and Billie

**2.12: Max and Billie**

_Saturday, February 18th, 2012_

Chelsea met up with Ignazio at the Horton Town Square and found a table so they could sit and talk. She had something specific in mind to discuss with him and hoped he did not find her questions intrusive. Noting he seemed somewhat nervous, she decided to check in with him first. "Are you okay?"

Ignazio tried to calm his nerves and felt frustrated that his heart was racing at the sight of Chelsea. They had been alone quite a few times, but the more time he spent with her the more he was drawn to her. He didn't enjoy how she had this power over him. Tapping his leg, he responded, "I am fine. How are you? Why did you ask me to come here – alone?"

"I'm fine, too," Chelsea answered as she tried to read Ignazio. His nervousness seemed to turn into something else. "I… Ignazio, I am sorry if I caught you at a bad time, and I hope you're not upset with me."

Ignazio shook his head. "I am not upset with you," he clarified. He was only upset he couldn't conceal his nerves in a better way.

Chelsea slowly nodded her head. "Good. I wanted to talk to you about Dario. I want to know why it's so important for Dario to move in with you. He should be with his family. Are you trying to keep him from something or someone?"

Ignazio's nerves suddenly disappeared due to the seriousness of Chelsea's accusatory question. "You think I have some ulterior motive in asking Dario to move in with me?"

"I've upset you," Chelsea mumbled.

Ignazio moved his seat closer to Chelsea so he could deny what she believed. "I am not upset with you, and there is a reason I want Dario to move in with me. There's something you don't know because Dario and I decided not to talk about it. Dario is my brother."

"Figuratively, right?" Chelsea questioned.

Ignazio shook his head. "No, Dario is my literal brother. Technically he is my half-brother since we had different mothers, but we have the same father. We only discovered this truth a few weeks ago, and we decided not to tell anyone about it."

Chelsea still felt confused about the news. "How did this happen? How did you find out?"

Ignazio wasn't sure if he should tell Chelsea this, but he had this inkling to be honest with her. "My nonna informed me, but I believe Dario overheard his mother confessing to it before she died."

Chelsea's eyes widened as she realized Ignazio was telling her the truth and understood his reasons for wanting Dario to move in. "You and Dario are brothers and you invited him to live with you because you want to bond with him." Reflecting on her own experience of discovering she was a Brady years ago, she shared, "I am so sorry for questioning you like you had some bad intentions with Dario. I am not sure what got into me because you have been nothing but supportive. How are you not upset with me?"

Ignazio honestly wanted to know the answer to that question as well. "You care a lot," he explained away deciding he needed to change the subject. "…and I know you have been dealing with something because you have not talked about yourself in some time. What are you concealing?"

Chelsea thought about the letter she had received from the ethics board at the end of January. "There's really not much to say."

Ignazio grew nervous again because he wanted to grab Chelsea's hand. He desperately wanted to help her. "I was honest with you about Dario. Why can you not be honest with me about whatever it is you are afraid to share?"

Chelsea looked down realizing Ignazio had a point. "It's not that I don't trust you," she began. "I have kept quiet about something, and I am not sure what to do about it." Ignazio kept his eyes on hers, and she knew he was listening intently. She continued, "At some point, I will have to go before the ethical board because they believe I have practiced unethically."

Ignazio wondered if that was the secret Chelsea was keeping. "That is ludicrous. You are the most ethical person I know."

Chelsea's heart sank as she confessed, "Then you don't really know me at all." Almost breaking in front of Ignazio, her voice cracked, "The problem is that I, too, question my recent actions with friends. Maybe I have been unethical. I could lose my license…"

Ignazio felt Chelsea's struggle within him and felt remorse come over him. He couldn't hold back anymore and grabbed Chelsea's hand to comfort her.

Max, who had come from the pub after arriving in Salem, spotted Chelsea in the distance. Caroline had told him he could find her there, and he hoped he could clear everything with her. When he finally arrived to the table, Billie walked up at the same time. He knew with her there, this conversation wouldn't be as easy as he hoped.

Chelsea removed her hand from Ignazio's grasp and stood up. "What the hell is going on? Is this an ambush?"

Billie avoided looking at Max even though she was upset he was there. She had arrived straight from the airport and called Bo about Chelsea's whereabouts. "Chels…"

"No, let me explain everything," Max quickly cut in. He wanted to talk to Chelsea before Billie was able to say anything because Billie had a knack for making things worse with Chelsea. "When you left, I racked my brain as to why. I tried to call you and send you messages, but you didn't respond. I don't even know if you read them, but once I realized you had no intention of getting back to me, I decided to give you some space. I'm here now to talk to you face to face and apologize for whatever I did wrong."

Chelsea stepped back and gave Max a look of disgust. "Whatever you did wrong?" She could tell he wasn't being honest by the look in his eyes.

"Chelsea…" Max lamented, but before he could say anything else to her, Ignazio stood up in a rage and punched Max in the face knocking him down.

Chelsea swiftly stepped in and pulled Ignazio back to protect him. "Whatever you two thought was going to happen here, you were clearly not thinking in your right mind." Directing herself to Billie as Max tried to get up, she argued, "I know what is going on between the two of you, and I guess if you talked to me separately about your engagement than I might warm up to the idea that you two are in love. Are you sick in the head, mom? Do you really like to see me miserable?"

"Engagement?" Max questioned as he gave the evil eye to Ignazio. He wondered who he was and why he was with Chelsea.

Billie was just as confused. "Chelsea, Max and I are not engaged. I am engaged but with someone else."

"What?"

Max kept his distance hoping he could keep things from escalating in the wrong direction. "Did you really think I was engaged to your mom? You know how I feel about you."

Chelsea threw her hand in front of Max's face to make him stop. "No. You can't pull me back in. There's no going back, and we are not talking about this at all." Turning to Ignazio, she requested, "Will you please walk with me back to the pub? I can't stomach seeing these two now."

Ignazio nodded his head and left with Chelsea. Max gave Billie a frustrated look. "I'm going to get her back. I can't mess this up again."

Billie shook her head at Max. "I don't care how you feel now, but you can't make things work with her, and we both know why. You shouldn't have come here. I can explain everything to her."

"While throwing me under the bus, right?" Max accused her. "I don't have the time to hash this out with you. We are going to be family either way, so don't get in my way." Max and Billie traded disappointed looks and walked their separate ways.


	13. Marlena Calls

**2.13: Marlena Calls**

_Monday, February 20th, 2012_

After finishing breakfast, Will grabbed his books to pack them into his school bag. Walking into the living room, his phone began to ring, so he rushed over and picked it up. "Hello?"

"Hi, Will," Marlena said on the other side.

Will's face lit up. "Grandma Marlena? Is that really you?"

Marlena chuckled as she confirmed it was her. "Yes, it is me, your favorite grandmot... I can't finish that word," she said before explaining, "John and I just got home! All the accusations and holds suddenly stopped and disappeared, so John and I are now able to visit. I'm not exactly sure what happened, but I believe someone who has tried to tear our family apart in the past is responsible."

Will thought about how Stefano's death coincided with his grandmother and John being released from custody. "You may be right, but all of that is over now."

"Thank God!" Marlena exclaimed. "John and I are exhausted from the whole ordeal. I think the stress of not being able to see you while you were in the hospital made it worse."

Will felt bad for what his grandmother had been through. "I am okay now, grandma. I just had a checkup last week and everything is normal."

Will could hear voices in the background and then Marlena responding to the voices. After, she returned to her conversation with Will. "Eric, Carrie, Austin, Belle, Shawn, and Claire are here. They have been a big support in all of this. We are talking about doing something to celebrate our freedom, but I am not sure John and I are really up to anything at the moment. We really want to see you though."

Hearing the exhaustion in Marlena's voice, Will suggested, "Maybe you and John should get used to being free where you are. You can stay there if that's what you need."

Marlena paused for a moment before admitting, "Even though John and I are now free, it might be best if we settle a bit here first. Things are quite hectic here since I was unable to work or focus on other transitions. Have you talked to Eric recently?"

"No," Will answered wondering if he should have.

"Well, there are a few things that need to be cleared up," Marlena vaguely shared. "We will visit with you face to face at some point."

Will thought about it and figured he could use some time out of Salem. "Maybe I can visit when I have a break from school. You're not the only one who can travel."

Will could hear Marlena's smile as she replied, "Oh that would be wonderful. So tell me what's new with you? How are you and Chad?"

Will froze as he realized none of his family outside of Salem knew about how Chad had left him. He really didn't want to think or process through it, so he decided to avoid the conversation with Marlena. "Things here in Salem have been quite busy with school. That's my main focus. I'm trying not to think too much about what happened – you know?"

Marlena tried to present understanding through her voice. "I know you have been through so much, and I am glad you are able to focus on school because that is exactly what you should be doing – you should be living."

Will loved his grandmother so much because she always said something he needed to hear. "Exactly. Have you talked to mom yet?"

"I did. I did for a short time before I called you," Marlena informed him. "She was busy with the kids and said something about her friend running late. What friend is your mom talking about?"

Will thought about Azzura. "Her friend, Azzura. She works for EJ's aunt and somehow they have become really good friends. I'm not really sure what I think about it, but it's weird."

"Well, your mother always had a problem with making friends," Marlena joked. She moved on, "It's so good to hear your voice. I look forward to when I get to wrap my arms around you and give you kisses."

Will smiled. "It will be one day soon. I promise."


	14. Caroline's Visit

**2.14: Caroline's Visit**

_Wednesday, February 22nd_, _2012_

Max helped Caroline find a chair to sit while they waited for her to be cleared. Looking around the room, he couldn't believe they were in the men's penitentiary. Caroline had planned on coming alone, but he insisted on coming with her to make sure nothing happened. She was there to see Colin and didn't want Max to tell anyone else she was coming. "Are you sure you're up to this, Ma?"

Caroline patted Max on the leg as she assured him, "I am fine. I just need to talk to Colin as a favor to my Shawn." Turning the conversation to him, she questioned, "Are you doing okay?"

Max thought about his return to Salem not being as successful as he had hoped. "Well, Chelsea is still avoiding me, so I am in limbo right now. I came here to work things out with Chelsea, but now I don't know what to do because I don't want to mess with her life here in Salem."

Caroline wondered if Max had come clean about his affair with Billie at all. Patting him on the leg, she tried to encourage him. "I am happy you're back in Salem, but you need to do what is best for you and what is best for Chelsea. It's not good to be stuck in limbo."

"I know. I just want her to hear me out. I don't even know why she left in the first place," Max admitted.

Caroline gave her adoptive son a look of concern. "You don't know what you did wrong?"

Max scratched the top of his head. "Chelsea's response was pretty much the same when I said that. Do you know what I supposedly did wrong? I know she believed Billie and I were engaged, but we cleared that up right away."

Caroline gave Max a stern look before giving him the benefit of the doubt. "Chelsea came to Salem not only to help me. She also came to Salem because of something that happened between you and her mother. She believes you two had an affair."

Max's eyes widened as Caroline's information threw him for a loop. "Billie and I never had an affair," he finally clarified. "I wondered why she was upset with me, but now I don't understand why she'd believe I'd sleep with her mom."

Caroline was now curious about the same thing as well. "Maybe she misunderstood something you two said," she suggested before another question came to mind. "If you had no idea why Chelsea was so upset with you, then why did you wait so long to come here?"

Max looked away as he answered, "I wanted to give her space."

"That's bologna, and you know it, Max Brady," Caroline quipped. "If you really want to work things out with Chelsea, you're going to have to be honest and come clean about everything. What happened?"

Max sighed realizing Caroline had caught him. "Ma, I swear nothing happened between Billie and me. Before Chelsea left, we were having some problems, or at least I felt like we were because we weren't connecting as well as we used to. She was working all the time, and I barely saw her. If I'm being completely honest about everything, I was looking for an out before Chelsea left. In some ways, I was relieved when she did."

Caroline raised her eyebrows at Max and scoffed, "And now you want her back. I see a pattern here, Max. I love you, but you can be so damn fickle with women and love. You should really think this through before you actually try to have a relationship with Chelsea again."

Max nodded his head as a guard walked in to take Caroline into a visiting room to see Colin. "I'll be right here waiting," Max said wishing he could go in with her. He didn't want to sit and wallow over what he did wrong.

Caroline nodded her head and followed the guard to a room where Colin was waiting. After the door was secured by the guard, Caroline took a seat across from Colin and greeted him. "Colin, I thought it was time I talk to you in person about what you have done."

Colin wasn't sure what to think about Caroline visiting him. "You want to talk to me about how I have disappointed the Brady family once again. Trust me, the rest of the family in Ireland is used to it by now. I am the black sheep – the secret – they would rather avoid."

"I am a Brady by marriage, so I am not going to avoid anything," Caroline set the record straight. "Yes, I am disappointed in your actions. I don't understand how you could do this to your family after I have tried to help you."

Colin thought about how Caroline reached out to him and appreciated it, but he also knew it was too late for him to reconnect with the Brady family. "What I did was for the family," he claimed. "I came forward and told the police I worked for Stefano so that he would no longer have the ability to torment our family."

Caroline gave Colin a questioning look to make sure she read between the lines correctly. "Colin, did you lie to Bo about working for Stefano?"

Colin paused for a moment before disclosing, "Yes, I lied. But I want to be cautious in what I say because I want to protect the family. As long as Stefano is out of the picture, the family can live a normal life."

Caroline couldn't believe it and offered, "Maybe I should talk to Roman and Bo about this. You should not be in here."

"We can't clear Stefano though," Colin cautioned causing Caroline to realize the possibility that Stefano might not have been guilty. Colin continued, "If you clear my name, they may drop everything against Stefano because of my lie."

Caroline shook her head and contemplated on what to do. "I will find a way to help you. I will find a way to get you out."

Colin hoped she would say that, but remained torn about it on the outside. "Caroline, you must think what is best for the family."

Grabbing Colin's hand, she squeezed it. "I appreciate what you have done for the family, but I cannot allow another family member to suffer when Stefano is on the run for his crimes if he is truly guilty."

Colin was surprised to hear Caroline mention that Stefano was on the run. He wondered if Maddalena's plans for Stefano to die underground didn't pan out. He took a moment to hide his shock. "Stefano is guilty. I know he is," he shared.


	15. Officially In

**2.15: Officially In**

_Friday, February 24th, 2012_

"So how does it feel to be an official brother of Kappa Sigma?" Ezra asked while patting Will on the back. Both had walked into Ezra's bedroom at the frat house after the official ceremony for all rushes. They had pushed it back since Will had to deal with his personal issues after his attack.

Will thought about all the crazy things Ezra made him do over the last week. After sighing through a smile, Will responded, "Yeah. I am glad I'll get some of my old life back after tonight."

Arriving at the foot of his bed, Ezra took his shirt off before turning to Will. "I know I made you sleep on the floor for the last ten nights, but that was part of your initiation. Tonight, you are my frat bro, so you are allowed to share my king size bed for the night."

Will gave Ezra a clear apprehensive look. He did not know what to think about sharing a bed with Ezra because he had never thought of Ezra in that way even if he was extremely attractive. "I don't know if that's a good idea."

Ezra unbuttoned his pants so he could take them off. "Horton, just so we're clear – I trust you. I don't care that you're gay. I appreciate you, and we're tight now. We're just sharing a bed."

Will looked at the bed and saw that it was big enough for the both of them. Before giving in, he clarified, "I want to clear something up as well. I had and have no intention of coming onto you while we're sharing your bed."

"I know. That's what I just said," Ezra pointed out. "It doesn't mean anything."

Will pulled off his shirt and nodded. "Okay. So we're clear on that. Let's hope this doesn't get more awkward."

Ezra laughed and put on some shorts. "There's no reason that it should."

Will pulled some shorts out of his bag and put them on. Getting into the bed with Ezra, Will remembered when he shared a bed with Chad when they lived together in the Dimera mansion. Will felt his heart hurt as it triggered a lot of memories of Chad and realized it had almost been a month since Chad left him. He felt so dumb and out of control when he thought about Chad because it usually affected his demeanor in an obvious manner.

Ezra could see by the look on Will's face that his head was spinning. "Are you okay? You look like you're somewhere else."

Will pushed his thoughts about Chad to the back of his mind, so he could focus on his life now. It was still a difficult task to accomplish. "Yeah, I am fine. I'm excited to be a part of something bigger on campus."

"Well, I am glad you decided to join us," Ezra let out. "I wasn't so sure you would after you didn't show up to the party we threw at the end of the fall semester."

Chad returned to Will's thoughts as he remembered what he did instead of going to the party. It was the day after he and Chad finally had sex. He felt a distrust come over him as he turned his gaze to Ezra. "I know I sound like a broken record, but I still don't know if I understand why I'm here – why Kappa wanted me – why I am here with you in your bed."

Ezra laid on his side so he could face Will completely. "If you're uncomfortable with sharing a bed with me than we can find somewhere else for you to sleep. To me it's not a big deal, but I am starting to wonder if it is for you."

Will was a bit surprised by Ezra's response and processed through it. Maybe Ezra had a point in calling him out. "I'm sorry I keep mentioning the fact that we are sharing a bed. It's just the last time I shared a bed with anyone, I was with Chad. I still miss him so much and it reminds me of all the mistakes I have made."

"Horton, heartbreak sucks, but you need to stop beating yourself up over this. It won't help anything," Ezra argued thinking about his own knowledge of love and relationships. With a small sigh, he claimed, "I didn't mean to bring up Chad tonight. I am trying to help you move forward."

Will sighed as he looked back to the ceiling. "I don't know if I can. I know you say you see something in me, but I don't. I am damaged – I always have been."

Placing his hand on Will's arm, Ezra began to shake Will to get him out of his funk. "You are closing yourself off from everything with the words you keep speaking to yourself." Once Will looked into his eyes, he continued, "Yeah, I do see something in you. You're a Horton, and that usually means greatness in Salem, but beyond that you are stronger than you realize. You are resilient."

Will looked deeper into Ezra's eyes because he wanted to doubt what Ezra was saying to him. "How do you know this about me? We've only met in the last one or two months."

Ezra couldn't just lay in bed anymore, so he sat up causing Will to sit up in bed, too. "When you started at Salem U, I noticed you and did my homework. It's my job as president to look at the incoming guys to see who fits the mold of Kappa. Your family history is not hard to find, and when I finally talked to you at the end of last semester, I knew I had to convince you to join."

Will shook his head and continued to beat himself up. "I still don't understand how or why you see greatness in me. I'm not my great-grandfather Tom or grandfather Roman. Being gay and coming out does not make me great – if that's what you're referring to."

"I want to help you, Will," Ezra claimed as he placed his hand over Will's hand. "I've had my own struggles, and I am not sure if you've noticed, but I am a guy who doesn't lack much confidence now."

"I noticed," Will said with a playful smile.

Ezra smiled back. "If you had the same confidence and determination in yourself the sky would be the limit. You would see there's nothing holding you back from being successful. You could be awesome – great. Let me help you with that. Let me help you find your confidence."

Will continued to struggle with doubt, but the sincerity in Ezra's voice made him consider the possibilities he had previously deafened. "So this is like some sort of mentorship you're offering?"

Ezra moved his hand up to Will's bare shoulder. "Yes, but I also hope through it we can be close friends. What do you want?"

"I'm in," Will spoke through a smile. "I want the same, and I appreciate your help in this." After Ezra nodded in acknowledgment to his thanks, Will asked, "So what do you recommend I do in my quest for confidence first."

Ezra pulled Will closer to him and made close eye contact. "Believe me. You are a great guy who deserves the best in the world. I'm being truthful."

Will felt the sudden urge to place his hand on Ezra's chest because of their unexpected physical closeness. "I believe you." Realizing what he had done, he quickly removed his hand and moved away from Ezra so there was some space between them. Ezra didn't seem to mind. "I'm tired, so I guess I'll talk to you more in the morning."

Ezra yawned and settled under the blanket. "Sounds like a plan. We still need to talk about you moving into the Kappa house. Goodnight, Horton."

"Goodnight." Will turned his back towards Ezra as he pondered what was in store for his future.


	16. Manny's Therapy Session

**2.16: Manny's Therapy Session**

_Tuesday, February 28th, 2012_

Chelsea exited the elevator at the hospital and searched around for Manny. He had called her earlier and asked her to meet him there. Spotting him at the nurses' station with Lexie, she made her way over but remained quiet so she did not interrupt their conversation.

"Abe is finally being released today, so everything is going in the right direction," Lexie shared. "I appreciate you asking about him. How are you and the family?"

Manny scratched his forehead as he looked down. "We are taking one moment at a time. It still surprises me that it's been more than a month."

Lexie rested her body on the nurses' station giving Manny a softened look. "Death has a lasting effect on life, but you must not allow it to stop you. I've had my own struggle with grief, and it truly is powerful."

Manny agreed by nodding his head while Maxine walked over. "Dr. Carver, your husband is asking for you."

"Thanks Maxine," Lexie said before turning back to Manny. Placing her hand on his arm, she encouraged, "Hang in there."

After Lexie walked off with Maxine, Chelsea walked up to Manny. "I'm here like you asked."

Manny remembered asking Chelsea to meet him. "I'm sure you're asking yourself why I asked you to come here. I have my first therapy session today, but that is not what I want to discuss with you."

Chelsea figured she knew what Manny wanted to talk about. "Are you concerned about Dario?"

Manny nodded his head. "Yes, he has spent a lot of time with Ignazio. I want to know more about him – Ignazio that is."

Chelsea sensed the concern that filled Manny. She shared, "Ignazio has been really good with Dario. He's been supportive, and I think he truly has Dario's best interest at heart. I don't think you need to worry about him."

Manny figured Chelsea was a good judge of character but struggled with the fact that he didn't know much about Ignazio except his last name. It was weird to think that Dario had another family, and he questioned whether he should be concerned about how the rest of the Dimera family could influence Dario.

A young woman in studious glasses walked out of the hall and headed for Manny as Billie exited the elevator. The woman made her way to Manny and Chelsea first and immediately recognized Chelsea. Before saying anything to Chelsea, she introduced herself, "Hi, I am Dr. Joselyn Brown. Are you Manuel Hernandez?"

Manny nodded his head and shook Dr. Brown's hand. "Yes, I'm here for my therapy session."

Joselyn smiled at Manny before turning to Chelsea. "You are Chelsea Brady, right? I'm on the ethics board, and I'd really like to have lunch sometime."

Chelsea wasn't sure what to think at first because the woman seemed very familiar with her. "Sure," she agreed figuring it may be nice to know what was going on with her ethics case.

Pulling out a business card, Dr. Brown gave it to Chelsea. "Take this, and we'll keep in touch." After turning back to Manny, she directed him, "We should head back to my office." Manny nodded and followed her out.

As Chelsea looked the card over, Billie took a deep breath before announcing her presence. "Chelsea, Caroline told me I could find you here."

Chelsea put the card in her back pocket. Keeping some distance from her mom, she let out, "So you're still in Salem. How are the wedding plans coming along? Have you and Max picked out your colors?"

Billie let out a small sigh of frustration as she managed to keep her cool in front of Chelsea. "I have told you numerous times that I am not marrying Max. I don't understand why you're this upset with me and Max."

Chelsea shook her head. "Why are we still playing this game, mom? Why do I have to be the one to come out with what you did to me?"

"I know it's weird for you, but I honestly wanted to talk to you about it when it first started," Billie admitted.

Filled with disgust, Chelsea exclaimed, "How long was it going on? You actually wanted to talk to me about it before? What kind of twisted parent are you? I know you didn't have the best parents growing up, but do I have to suffer, too?"

Billie thought about all the horrible things Curtis did to her. "I am nothing like my father. I know I have made mistakes, but don't you dare compare me to him when you know nothing about that."

Chelsea could see she had upset her mother. "Okay, maybe I don't, but that still does not excuse you for having an affair with Max!"

"Huh?" was all that fell out of Billie's mouth for a moment. Silence hit as she tried to figure out how she and her daughter got to this point. "You think Max and I slept together? Is this what all of this has been about? You think I would do that to you?"

Still guarded, Chelsea reminded her mother, "Does Nick Fallon ring a bell?"

Billie gave Chelsea a displeased look. "Yes, I slept with Nick, and that was completely idiotic on my part, but Max and I never slept together. Just no!"

Chelsea hated that her mother was trying to deny everything. "I overheard your conversation with Max. You asked Max to be quiet and keep what happened a secret because it would ruin things for me. You asked him not to say anything to me because you wanted to see where it went first before breaking the news to me. Max sounded torn and even commented that our relationship was complicated, but then figured you were right. He didn't want to hurt me if it turned out to not be a big deal. Explain that to me if you two didn't cheat on me!"

Billie put her hands on her hips thinking this whole situation was ridiculous. Things were making sense to her now. "So I now understand why mom was so short with me and wouldn't let me get a word in. She kept asking me what I did wrong before, and I wasn't even sure what I did wrong or if I did anything wrong because you came here to take care of Caroline. You misunderstood the conversation I had with Max. Max found out about something and approached me about it, and that's what you heard."

Chelsea wanted to know more. "What did he confront you about?"

"He found out that I had started talking to Frankie, his brother," Billie confessed. "It turns out things did get serious because now Frankie and I are getting married."

Chelsea turned her back on Billie as she let the news sink in. She had allowed herself to assume something so horrible and then have it fester for so long. She had seriously gone through some serious depression over something that didn't actually happen. "I can't believe this," she said more to herself.

"It's true."

Placing her hand on the nurses' station, Chelsea turned her body to face her mother again. After a breath, she stated, "I'm not mad at you or Max anymore, but I need some time. I need some time to process all of this, so if you can give me that – even if I don't necessarily deserve it – I will get back to you, so we can talk everything out."

Billie knew Chelsea felt bad for assuming too much and for pushing her away. "Maybe if I hadn't insisted on keeping Frankie a secret, this wouldn't have happened," she said to help Chelsea feel less guilty. Carefully making her way over to Chelsea, she added, "I will give you the space you need to process everything." When she was close enough, she managed to give Chelsea a small hug before walking away.

Chelsea stood there for a moment and took a few deep breaths to keep her emotions in check. She thought about Max and wondered where this would leave them but figured the damage had been done. She would have to break the news to Max.

In Dr. Brown's office, Joselyn looked across to Manny and said, "Now that we have the formalities out of the way, how about we move on to goals. I want to know what goals you have for therapy."

Manny thought about the therapy he went through in Brooktree. He figured his goals would be similar to the ones he had in there. "I want to be a beneficial member of society once again."

Dr. Brown nodded her head and asked, "What's your next goal?"

Manny took a moment to think because he thought she would want to talk more about his first one. "Um… I… It's been difficult returning to the real world since my mother's death."

"That's closely connected to your first goal," Joselyn acknowledged. She continued, "…but I suppose you want to properly grieve your mother's death, so you can make sure your first goal is possible."

Manny nodded his head.

"What's your third goal?" Joselyn asked quickly.

Manny gave Dr. Brown a curious look. "Third goal? I don't have any more goals…"

Dr. Brown finished writing Manny's first two goals on a pad of paper. Pushing up her glasses, she shared, "It's often said that the third goal is the main goal of any client. I just want to know what you want to work on. If you don't have any other goals, then we can work with the first two."

Manny looked down for a moment knowing he was holding onto something. "I'm worried because my family is falling apart. I'm worried about my brother and sisters, and I fear I will fail them. They are my main concern right now, and I want to help them."

"Manuel," Joselyn said to grab Manny's eyes. "What about you? Are you worried about yourself?"

Manny looked down as he pondered that question. He shook his head because he didn't want to answer.


	17. Across the Hall, Part 1

**2.17: Across the Hall, Part 1**

_Wednesday, February 29th, 2012_

Walking out of his apartment, Daniel made sure to lock up before heading to the hospital. Hearing a noise across the hall, Daniel wondered if someone was moving into the apartment where Dario and Gabi used to live. Peering over, he noticed the door was open. "Hello?" he let out curiously as he questioned the possibility that someone had broken into the apartment.

Jack popped his head out from the apartment and walked out completely when he saw Daniel standing in front of him. "Oh, Daniel. I thought you'd be at work at this time."

"I was on my way when…" Daniel mumbled before asking, "What's going on here?"

Jack opened up the door wider so Daniel could see boxes in the apartment. "Since my sister owns this apartment, she said I could have it to settle in. I'm moving in."

Daniel noted the big smile on Jack's face. He was happy for Jen and the kids, but he didn't want to focus on the fact that Jack was now his neighbor. "I should get to work. Hope you're able to move in without any problems." After a small wave, Daniel headed for the elevator.

Jack returned to his apartment and continued to unpack his things. He felt the awkwardness with Daniel and wondered if it was a good idea for him to move in across the hall from the doc. Thinking about his family, he knew he needed to put that behind him because they were what mattered.

Heading over to the counter, Jack picked up a business card that Jennifer gave him. It was a business card of a therapist working at the hospital. Jen had suggested they go as a family to work everything out. Flipping the card over, he thought, "A therapist could help me finally heal from everything that is wrong with me, but maybe I should do this alone. I don't want to bring the family into my personal problems anymore."


	18. A Lead

**2.18: A Lead**

_Monday, March 5th, 2012_

EJ took a seat next to Sami on the couch and rested his head onto hers. They finally had some alone time. Eyeing Sami, he grabbed her hand and kissed it. "So what are we going to do now that we have the mansion to ourselves, Samantha?"

Sami took her hand from EJ and rested it on his inner thigh smiling wildly. "I know a few things we can do."

EJ smiled as well and bit his lip moving in to kiss his wife. Unfortunately, his cell phone interrupted their moment when it started to ring. Sami desperately wanted him to ignore it, but he pulled away to see who was calling. Looking to Sami, he said, "This is important."

Standing from the couch, EJ adjusted his pants and answered the phone. "Yes…"

Sami adjusted herself on the couch as she watched her husband focus on the call he had received. She understood he was busy, but it seemed to be too much for her at times. It felt like forever since they had a moment alone and now he was on the phone.

EJ nodded his head and said, "Thank you," before hanging up the phone.

Noticing relief on his face, Sami asked, "What's going on?"

EJ gave Sami a look of hope. "I finally found Chad thanks to the fact that he's still doing school work for Salem U."

Sami stood up from the couch surprised at the news. She wasn't sure how to feel about EJ finding his brother. "Does that mean he's still in Salem?"

"No," EJ quickly clarified. "Apparently Chad is in the Austin, Texas area. One of my contacts managed to track him through the emails he was sending to his professors to turn in his school work."

Sami shook her head trying to get over the idea that Chad was back in their lives. "I can't believe this."

EJ pulled his cell to his face and announced, "I am going to call William and tell him the news."

Grabbing EJ's hand and cell phone, Sami gave EJ a fearful look. "No. You can't do that. You should visit Chad first before we say anything to Will. We don't know if Chad is there or not, and we don't know if Chad wants to be found. We can't get Will's hopes up for nothing."

EJ placed his phone in his pocket and pulled Sami into a hug. He knew she was right. "I'll set up a time when I can go see him. I'll make sure he wants to come back to Salem."

Sami held onto EJ as she reflected on the extremity of Will's brokenness after Chad left him more than a month ago. Even though he was doing a lot better, she knew her son still had a lot to heal from and didn't want to see him regress. Feeling warmth from EJ as he kissed the top of her head, she wondered if Chad coming back was truly for the best.


	19. The Replacements

**2.19: The Replacements**

_Thursday, March 15th, 2012_

After grabbing two bottles of water in the Salem University Hospital cafeteria, Nathan joined Melanie at a table on their break. "So I was thinking I should ask Brady to take Chad's place in our wedding if you manage to find someone to replace Gabi," he shared as he opened his bottle. "Brady and I go way back, and he'd be the perfect choice."

Melanie took a quick sip of her water before informing Nathan, "Actually, that's not going to work. I will find a replacement for Gabi, but I need a favor from you on who you pick to join your other groomsmen."

"Favor? Did something happen between you and Brady?" Nathan asked with some concern.

Melanie immediately shook her head. "No, Brady and I are fine. You can't ask Brady because my brother, Nicholas, is coming to town, and he wants to be in the wedding."

Nathan raised his eyes in excitement. "So you finally heard back from your brother and mom. It will be good to hang out with Nicholas and get to know him better."

"I'm excited, too," Melanie shared before taking a bigger drink of her water. She knew Nathan and Nicholas would hit it off as future brothers.

Nathan thought about Nicholas being in the wedding. "So if your brother is in the wedding now, you're definitely going to need to replace Gabi. You come up with options yet?"

Melanie lifted her shoulders for a moment before dropping them. "I talked to Abigail about it, and we tossed around a few names," she shared before admitting, "Chelsea's name even got a mention."

Nathan gave Melanie a skeptical look. "What?"

Melanie agreed with the look Nathan gave her. "Yeah, I doubt she would do it even if we made peace."

"I wouldn't count on it either," Nathan concurred.

Melanie blew her hair out of her face in frustration. "It's too bad I can't convince Max to put on a dress and be a bridesmaid," she joked.

Nathan gave Melanie a queasy look. "I don't think that's the right direction to go in."


	20. Kai Makes His Move

**2:20: Kai Makes His Move**

_Friday, March 9th, 2012_

Will got out of Sonny's car and looked over the parking lot at Martha's Sports Grille for the others they were meeting. When Sonny got out of the car, Will made sure to thank him. "Thanks for coming out with me tonight."

"Karaoke can be fun," Sonny said placing his keys in his pocket. He felt awkward about coming because they were meeting Brett, Kai, and some of Will's frat buddies there.

Heading to the entrance, Will wanted to make sure Sonny was okay. Placing his hand on his back, Will said, "If you want to leave at any point, let me know."

Sonny patted Will's back as he replied, "I will be okay. We're going to sing our hearts out tonight." He really wanted Will to have fun tonight and actually appreciated Will for inviting him to come with him.

Once they walked in, Kai and Brett ambushed Will and ignored Sonny. "Great! You're here!" Kai exclaimed before saying, "Brett and I see a table over there. We should take it before anyone else gets it."

Sonny followed the others to the table but remained distant. He watched how Kai and Brett had their hands all over Will and cringed because he wasn't sure he trusted them. After they arrived at the table, Brett decided to grab one of the Karaoke song list books before Sonny announced, "I'm going to grab some drinks. You guys want something?"

"I'll take a lemonade," Will said.

Kai put up his hand. "Make that two. I'm not sure what Brett wants."

Sonny looked over for Brett. "I'll ask him."

After Sonny walked off, Kai smiled at Will with excitement. "I'm glad we could all hang out tonight. You said more guys were coming?"

Will nodded his head. "Yeah. I invited some of my frat brothers. They'll be late though."

"Good," Kai said before clarifying, "I mean, it's good they're coming." Looking around the room awkwardly, he placed his hand on the back of his head before turning back to Will. "I'm glad we have some alone time – even if it's for a second."

Will had looked around the sports bar as well and spotted Michelle and Beth sitting at a booth. "Yeah?" he let out giving Kai his full attention.

Kai nodded his head for a second before coming out with it. "I really like you, Will. I know that this might be a little weird, but I'm interested in… you know… hanging out more one on one if you're interested."

Will nodded his head feeling anxious. The look in Kai's eyes showed he wanted to be more than friends. "I'm cool with hanging out, Kai," Will shared before adding, "…but only as friends. I am nowhere near ready to start dating or seeing someone. I hope I didn't assume anything there."

Kai looked down in disappointment, but he didn't want to ruin the night. "It is okay, Will. I wanted you to assume. I'm cool with friends."

Thankfully, Brett arrived and placed the book on the table. "So what are we singing tonight, fellas?"

Kai picked up the book and began to look through it hoping to escape Will's rejection. "I'm feeling Carrie Underwood. You should sing some Taylor West, Brett."

Brett looked at Kai's mischievous smile and quickly became defensive. "Hell no. I hate that bitch, and she'd hate me once I showed her what good singing sounds like."

Will and Kai laughed at Brett as Sonny made his way over with drinks. "You look like a pro with all those cups in your hands," Will commented.

Sonny passed out the drinks and replied, "I guess I have my mom to thank for that."

Brett took a sip of his lemon water before suggesting, "We should do something for spring break. I think it would be really fun if we went camping or skiing."

Kai put the book down and smiled. "That could be fun. I'll be in town of course. What about you, Will?"

Will thought about spring break and shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not sure yet. I love camping and skiing, so if I am free, I will do it." Turning to Sonny, he directed the conversation to him. "What about you? In the mood to camp or ski? I know how much you love the outdoors."

Sonny forced a smile and thought about Dario. "I already have plans unfortunately. I am visiting my brothers for spring break. It's been a while since we've been altogether as a family."

Brett didn't really care if Sonny could go, so he moved on. "So the three of us then?"

Will felt an uneasiness coming from Sonny. He didn't want him to feel left out. "We'll see."


	21. Talking to the Moon

**2.21: Talking to the Moon**

_Saturday, March 17th, 2012_

In a rental car, EJ arrived at Pearly Gates Apartments outside of Austin, Texas. He looked at the address to make sure he was at the right place because the apartments didn't look as nice as he expected. They clearly needed a remodel. Getting out of his car, EJ stood up and straightened the sleeves of his button up shirt before heading up the stairs in search for apartment 200.

EJ found the room and knocked on the door calmly hoping he had finally found his brother and could convince him to come home. He placed his hand in his pocket to make sure he had his backup plan in case he could not convince him. Hearing the door unlock, EJ grew nervous in anticipation.

The door opened slightly and Chad peered through the crack to see who was on the other side. "EJ? What are you doing here?!"

EJ placed his hand on the door to make sure Chad didn't try to slam the door on him. "Chad, we need to talk. Can I come in?"

Chad sighed before opening the door completely so EJ could walk in. He figured this day would come eventually, but he also hoped EJ would respect his decision to leave. Glancing at his laptop which was playing music, he said, "Make it quick. I have things I need to do."

"Homework?" EJ questioned trying to make things less tense.

"Something like that." Chad took a seat at a small desk as he tried to remain calm, but as he reflected on the fact that EJ found him, he stood up and grabbed a suitcase to start packing. "I hope you know there's nothing you can say or do that will make me return to Salem. Things are better this way, and you should just forget me and where I live. I'm not past finding a new place to stay if I have to."

EJ scratched his temple because he wanted to lay into his brother for what he did to Will and the rest of the family. He refrained though because Chad seemed tense, and he needed Chad to be as open as possible. Trying to make the environment more relaxed, he suggested, "Do you have any liquor hanging around? We could take a few drinks together."

Chad gave EJ a serious look. "I already told you this isn't happening. Don't push your luck here."

EJ sighed as he claimed, "Chad, there is a lot you do not know. I'm not here to make you come home, but I do think you should come back to Salem."

"How did you even find me?"

"I mentioned homework earlier," EJ reminded him. "I know you're still taking courses at Salem U through independent study. I followed the trail." Seeing that Chad had relaxed some, he continued, "I know you must be curious about the family – about William."

Chad shook his head as he eyed his laptop again. "No, I don't want to know anything. I already said it's better this way. I can't know anything about what's happening in Salem because then I won't stay away and ruin everyone's lives. Please forget I am here – forget you ever found me."

EJ placed his hand in his pocket once again. "Let's talk about this. I came here to see my brother, and you are not acting rationally here. We all love you, and you are hurting us by staying away. Will is…"

"I told you to stop!" Chad demanded turning his gaze away from the music playing on his laptop and returning it to his brother. "Will is better off without me. He can live a safer and better life without me. I am done here. I'm sorry I can't give you the family reunion you want."

EJ groaned in disappointment. "Fine. You don't want to talk, and you want to pretend we don't exist. I tried, but I can see your mind is made up."

Chad looked down feeling slightly guilty for pushing his brother away but felt somewhat relieved because EJ seemed to back down. Glancing over to his laptop again, he shared, "I am picking myself up, EJ. I don't need anything from the past bringing me back down."

Noting how Chad seemed fixated with the music playing from his laptop, EJ wondered what else was on Chad's mind. He decided to take the opportunity to pull out an envelope from his pocket. He placed it on top of the bookshelf next to the door, so Chad would find it later. "Goodbye, Chad. You know how to reach me if you change your mind."

Chad watched as EJ walked out of the apartment without closing his door. Frustrated, Chad got up and slammed the door causing the envelope to fall behind the bookshelf. Heading back to his computer, Chad turned it up to hear the DJ announce that there were no more dedications for the night. Moving to his window to look at the moon, Chad sighed because this was the first time he hadn't heard a dedication from Will. "I'm sorry I never responded to you Will, but it's for the best. Maybe you've finally moved on to better things. Maybe you're actually happy now."


	22. Brotherly Lessons

**2.22: Brotherly Lessons**

_Sunday, March 18th, 2012_

Dario finished playing a song on his guitar while he and Ignazio hung out together in the Dimera guesthouse. They hung out there together a lot and didn't leave much unless Chelsea invited them out somewhere or his grandmother, Maddalena, asked them over for dinner or some form of instrumental entertainment. He still went to mass with Manny and Arianna every Sunday, but he did that alone since Ignazio didn't seem interested in going with him. Looking up to Ignazio, he asked, "What did you think of that song?"

"I believe I have heard it before," Ignazio started with a smile. "Your talent always amazes me, and it helps me escape to wherever you are. You should never put the guitar down."

Dario kept his hands on his guitar as he smiled in appreciation. "Thanks, Ignazio. The more I play, the more I want to continue. Maybe this is my future…" Dario paused a moment as he thought about the recent changes in his life. He continued, "Unless I'm supposed to drop everything and join the family business since I now know I'm a Dimera."

Ignazio had wondered about that, too. "I am unsure of what is expected of you. Dimera Enterprises is shifting now due to Stefano's absence. It appears to me, we will soon focus more on the public aspect of the business."

"As in they are slowly getting rid of the illegal business the Dimera family tries to keep secret?" Dario questioned.

Ignazio gave Dario an uncomfortable look. "Yes, the Dimera family is known for the illegal activity our Prozio Stefano did over the years, but that is going to change – hopefully. It will be difficult to erase the evil Stefano and our father did in this town, but it needs to start somewhere."

Dario's ears peaked at Ignazio's mentioning André. He had tried to talk about his infamous father before with him and Maddalena, but they always seemed to change the subject or give him limited information on André. "Do you know everything they are responsible for?"

Ignazio stood and walked over to look out the window. "I have heard some," he began. "Stefano helped build up the family empire even more, but he used any means necessary to give him the power he needed in some sort of revenge plot. He claims he was ordered to carry it out by our bisnonno, but I am uncertain if it came from Santo or from Stefano himself."

Dario finally stood up and leaned his guitar against the sofa. Making his way to Ignazio, he looked out the window as well. "How does our father fit in all of this? How did he get mixed up with Stefano?"

Ignazio didn't seem to acknowledge the fact that Dario moved closer to him. He thought about how Maddalena asked him to keep Dario in the dark when it came to their father for the time being. After a moment, he turned from Dario and softly answered, "It's a long story…"

"And you don't like talking about it," Dario called his brother out. "I want to… no, I need to know more about my biological father. Was he really some horrible monster?"

Ignazio swallowed hard and grew nervous. He thought about André's struggle with homosexuality. It was the last thing he wanted Dario to know because he feared how Dario would react to the news. "Yes, he was," he admitted. "It is hard for me to talk about him because… well, there are many reasons."

"Tell me, bro," Dario earnestly requested.

After taking a deep breath, Ignazio confessed, "First, my knowledge is limited because I never knew the man personally. He never wanted to know us. We were just some point he wanted to make – all of us." Shaking his head, he continued, "The man was pure evil, and I think under Stefano's guidance, he was the first to fall under the supposed Dimera curse in the recent past."

"The Dimera curse?"

Ignazio looked up to his brother and affirmed he heard correctly. "We all struggle, and all families have complications. Unfortunately, thanks to Stefano's great influence on our family, we all struggle in doing what is right and the more we are informed of the evil caused by our family, the more we struggle with it."

Dario gave Ignazio a questioning look. "That seems unfair to put this all on Stefano. He's one man."

"You don't understand, Dario," Ignazio quickly dismissed him.

Growing frustrated, Dario argued, "How can I understand when there are all these secrets I am not aware of? Yes, I noticed Stefano is quite intimidating, but I still don't understand how his actions could affect everyone in the family."

"Think…" Ignazio stopped himself because he was about to bring up how Dario's coming out to his mother affected his family. "Maybe you should talk to Chelsea about this. She may be able to explain it to you. We are not on the same page anymore."

Dario ran his hands through his hair trying to avoid his growing frustration. "You are avoiding something, and I hate that we are already in a place where there are obvious lies between us. I guess that's one thing that family does – lie to each other."

Realizing he needed to smooth things over, Ignazio reached out to Dario. "No, that is not true," he said moving closer.

Dario shook his head as he thought about Isobel. A realization came to him. "Yes, it is," he countered filled with great disappointment. "I'm even lying to myself. I want to be angry with you, but the truth is... I am only angry with myself. I am trying my hardest to move on, but I can't escape what I really feel."

"What you feel?" Ignazio questioned nervously.

Reflecting on what they were talking about in the first place, Dario admitted, "I miss her. I miss my mother. She wanted me to be successful in life, but I don't know if that's possible with how everything ended with her."

Ignazio figured Dario was referring to what went down with Sonny. He still had no desire to talk about it because he did not want to feed into Dario's interest in Sonny or give it a voice. Directing the conversation, he made sure to reply without any pauses. "What are you talking about here, Dario? You are smart and have your whole life ahead of you. Your madre wanted the best for you. I want that for you as well. The whole family does."

"I don't know the first thing about running a business. How can I impress this family and make all of you proud of me, when I couldn't do that for my mother?" Dario shared revealing his disappointment in himself even more.

Ignazio's heart hurt for his brother because he hated that Dario actually believed he was worthless. Feeling the push to talk about Sonny, Ignazio tried to maneuver the conversation elsewhere once again by grabbing Dario's shoulders to shake him out of his misery. "You are not a failure. We all make mistakes, Dario. You can change. You can grow from the past. Learn what those mistakes gave you, and move forward. I can help you get into the business world and understand it more. I am learning, too."

Dario appreciated Ignazio's attempt in encouraging him, but he still felt he didn't really belong anywhere. "You have this strength I do not have, bro. I wish I had confidence in myself like you have in me. I'm really good at nothing but disappointment."

Glancing over to Dario's guitar, Ignazio didn't let up. "You are not a disappointment. You are very talented, and I know this because I know you, Dario. I told you I would help you in this, but at the same time I believe it would be beneficial for you if you continued to focus on your musical talent. You could have a job on the side. If I had your talent, I would hold onto it."

Dario smiled at Ignazio and appreciated his pep talk because he didn't feel so worthless anymore. Wanting to return the favor, he offered, "I could help you learn a thing or two on the guitar if you want."

Ignazio became excited by the offer. "I will take you up on that. We can help each other."

Dario sighed and gave Ignazio a hug as he admitted, "I am so glad I found out we are family. You really do help me."

Ignazio held Dario close. "You help me as well, fratello."


	23. Jack's Therapy

**2.23: Jack's Therapy**

_Tuesday, March 20th, 2012_

Jack took a seat and watched as Dr. Brown closed her office door. He looked around and noticed there were a few seats in the room. "Did I sit in the right place?"

Dr. Brown smiled at Jack and replied, "Wherever you want to sit is the right place." After taking a seat across from Jack, she asked, "As I said before, my name is Dr. Joselyn Brown. Hopefully, I will be able to aid you on this journey of growth. Before we start though, do you have any questions about therapy – the process and how it works exactly?"

Jack sat in silence awkwardly for a moment contemplating on how to answer the therapy question. Clearly still apprehensive about it, he replied, "I guess, I tell you my problems, and then you tell me what I should do to become a better person – someone people will actually like or love."

"Hold that thought for a moment," Joselyn directed. "First, I want to clarify that while I am the expert, you are also an expert in that this is your life. I can't tell you want to do. You must make those decisions. My job is to help you process through whatever it is that you need to process, so that you can grow and decide what it is that you want."

"And second?" Jack asked wanting his therapist to do most of the talking at this point, so he wouldn't have to open up about everything right away.

Jack's question almost threw Joselyn off, but she managed to pull herself together to say, "I guess second would be going back to what you said in the last half of your answer. You said you should become a better person – a person who is loved. Are you not loved?"

Jack's eyes widened somewhat at the forward question and began to mess with the collar of his shirt. "Eh… I… I am loved. I have my family, and they all tell me they love me."

Joselyn had a hypothesis but did not want to assume anything. Adjusting her glasses on her face, she followed up with another question. "Do you believe what they say?"

Jack nodded his head. "Yes – of course… should I? I mean, do you know something I don't?" Catching his nerves, he asserted, "I do trust them. They love me. They always give me another chance, and I guess I don't exactly know why."

"Isn't that what love is – or do you think love is different?" Joselyn quickly posed.

Jack shrugged his shoulders deciding he didn't want to say another word because it would only lead to more questions.

Dr. Brown caught on that Jack put up his guard. "You said you wanted to become someone different. Would you say that is one of your goals for therapy?"

"I guess," Jack let out as he looked to the ground. He thought about his past and all the ways he hurt those he cared about. Lost in the moment, he continued, "The person I am is not someone I want to be. I feel like I have a cursed life, and I feel utterly hopeless about it all. It's the same thing over and over. I do this thing where I try to save others from myself because I damage things, but then I end up hurting everyone even more. It gets worse because I can't stay away and come back to reopen the wounds I left them with when I left in the first place."

Joselyn had tried to say something while Jack shared everything to track with him better. When she realized he needed to get everything out, she sat back and remained silent until she was sure he had finished. "I have a question for you, and I want you to think about it and answer honestly – whatever you're thinking or feeling – I want to know. Do you love yourself?"

Jack froze and could only blink at the question. He could not answer.


	24. Protection

**2.24: Protection**

_Wednesday, March 21st, 2012_

Sami made her way down the stairs of the Dimera mansion as she finished putting on her earrings. Looking into the main room, she saw EJ standing near the fireplace fiddling with his phone. Entering the living room, she announced herself by asking, "Are you expecting a call?"

EJ turned around somewhat surprised to see Sami. Placing his phone in his pocket, he wondered why Chad hadn't called him yet. He really thought he would have heard from his brother by now. "Samantha, there's something I need to tell you."

"That sounds ominous," Sami said as she took a seat on the sofa. She reflected on how she felt out of the loop on a lot of things concerning EJ and questioned if he was finally going to fill her in. With an eager tone, she claimed, "I'm ready for whatever you need to tell me."

EJ scratched his temple with his finger. "I went to Texas over the weekend to talk to Chad."

Sami's eyes lit up because she had completely forgot EJ had managed to track down his brother. "Did you actually talk to him?"

After nodding his head, EJ shared, "I did. He really had nothing to say to me."

Remembering how EJ told her he tracked Chad down through his school work, she wondered if there was another reason Chad decided to settle in Texas. "What's he doing in Texas?"

EJ lowered his hand from his face and placed them in his pockets. "He's running."

Sami stood up from the couch and gave her husband a look of concern. "Have you told Will yet?"

"Have I told him that I actually found Chad? No." EJ clarified. "I haven't told him since he is visiting Carrie and Austin in Switzerland with some friends during his Spring Break."

Placing her hand on EJ's chest, she looked up into his eyes and asked, "What are the chances Chad is going to come back to Salem?"

"I doubt it," EJ speculated. "It seems to me he wants nothing of his old life. I'll tell Will what happened when he returns from his trip."

Sami suddenly jolted catching EJ's full attention. "You can't do that. You can't tell Will you found Chad and talked to him."

EJ wasn't sure what to think of Sami's request. "Samantha, he asked me to help him look for Chad. It wouldn't be right."

"Yes, it would," Sami argued. She really needed EJ to see her side on this. "I don't want to see my son get hurt again. He's finally feeling like his old self again, and we can't let him go through that rejection all over again."

EJ wrapped his arms around Sami and looked deeply into her blue eyes. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, I am sure," Sami said with an uneasy smile. She knew Will wouldn't appreciate her stepping in like this, but she knew protecting Will was more important.


	25. Insight

**2.25: Insight**

_Sunday, March 25th, 2012_

Ignazio exited the kitchen and made his way to the dining room, where Maddalena was waiting for him. "Azzura claims she now has everything she needs for family dinner. Did you want to talk before I head to the guesthouse to change?"

"Please take a seat nipote," Maddalena instructed. After Ignazio took a seat, she asked, "Where is Dario? Did he not come with you to make your delivery?"

Ignazio patted the table before sharing, "Dario went to mass and lunch with Arianna and Manuel. Dario told me they are trying to convince him to move in with them, but I doubt he will allow them. They don't trust the Dimera family."

Maddalena figured there could be problems with Arianna and Manny but chose not to worry about them. She did want to know more of Ignazio's thoughts on the situation though. "What can Arianna and Manuel offer Dario that we cannot?"

"They have a longer history," Ignazio noted. "Even though I feel a strong bond with Dario, his bond with them is still a lot stronger."

Maddalena wondered if maybe she should worry about Arianna and Manny's influence over Dario. "Where are they living now?"

Ignazio reflected on the conversations he had with Dario. "I believe they are staying in a condo in which is owned by Victor Kiriakis. Dario informed me Manuel is working for Victor as his head of security."

"What about Arianna?"

"She is working for the police," Ignazio stated.

Maddalena nodded her head to her grandson. She was clearly intrigued by the information and reflected on how she asked Ric to approach Victor randomly in the square before her brother went down for holding Abe hostage. "Do you know anything about Victor Kiriakis?"

Remembering his interactions with Mia in his quest to get Chad to leave Salem, Ignazio shared, "I know some. He seems to try to protect his family and their reputation in society. I worked with a girl named Mia and planned an attack with her to get Chad to leave Salem. She told Chad and actually convinced him for some time that Victor Kiriakis was the one responsible. I believe she even told the cops the same thing."

Maddalena became even more intrigued by everything. She gave her nipote a look of appreciation. "I need to introduce myself to Dario's siblings and form better relationships with them. They may be more useful than I originally believed."


	26. Board Mail

**2.26: Board Mail**

_Friday, March 30th, 2012_

Walking out of Janet's Boutique, Abigail headed for Mandalay Café to grab a few drinks. Before entering, she ran into Chelsea. "Chels… are you on break? I'm actually here with Melanie, Maggie, and Carly. Melanie has another fitting for her gown."

"The wedding is in a few months, right?"

Abigail nodded her head. "Yeah. There's still a lot we need to do before June."

Chelsea had heard some things about the wedding. "Nathan mentioned something to me about Melanie needing a new bridesmaid since Gabi is gone. It was kind of awkward, and he seemed really uncomfortable talking to me about it. It was as if he was trying to ask me for Melanie."

"Yeah, Melanie still needs a replacement," Abigail confirmed. "And they have thought about asking you. I'm guessing Nathan was testing to see if you had thoughts or feelings about doing it when he talked to you."

Chelsea gave her friend a skeptical look. "That would be too awkward, right? I mean, I was interested in Nathan before he met Melanie, and the fact that I was in a relationship with Max and Daniel doesn't help things either. It's probably best I stay away."

Abigail nodded her head knowing it would be too awkward if Chelsea was a bridesmaid, but a question popped in her head. "What happened with Max? I know he came back to Salem, but did you two work things out?"

Chelsea thought about what her mother told her concerning the secret she and Max were keeping from her and shook her head in disgrace. "I talked things out with Max and apologized for jumping the gun on believing he would sleep with my mom, but at that point it was too late. We were completely honest with each other about everything and realized we were both looking for a way out of the relationship because it was going nowhere. He still tried to convince me we could give it another try, but the damage had been done."

"I'm sorry, but maybe this was supposed to happen," Abigail suggested before another question popped in her mind. "Have you talked to Ignazio?"

Chelsea gave Abigail a look of bewilderment. "Was he looking for me?"

Abigail gave Chelsea a skeptical look. "Stop playing coy, Chels. You know why I brought up Ignazio. There's clearly something going on there, and you even told me he punched Max when Max first showed up."

Chelsea smiled as she replayed that moment in her head. Catching herself, she got serious again. "Ignazio and I are just friends, and I think that's where it should stay because I have so much other stuff going on… you know?"

Abigail agreed with Chelsea and then suddenly remembered something else. Pulling an envelope out of her purse, she showed it to her bff. "I got this in the mail from the ethics board. Apparently, they want me to come in so they can grill me about you and your ethics."

Chelsea didn't want to look the letter over because she had seen it before. "My grandma Kate got one as well. I don't understand why they want to talk to you though. I feel like my private life has been invaded and they want to question everyone I am close to."

"So you still have no idea why you are being investigated?" Abigail asked.

Chelsea shook her head as she thought about her bad choices over the last four months. "Not exactly. They haven't let me know what I have supposedly done wrong. I guess I will find out soon enough."

Abigail could see the guilt and worry seep into Chelsea's eyes. She encouraged, "Don't let the worry get the best of you. You have done nothing wrong, so this will all be over soon. I'll clear that up for you when I talk to them."

Chelsea exhaled deeply and saw Dr. Brown sitting at a table waiting for her. "Thanks. Sorry to cut this short, but I'm meeting someone for lunch, and I just spotted her."

Abigail looked around to see who Chelsea was meeting with but didn't recognize anyone. "It's fine. I need to grab a few drinks to take back to the boutique. If you need anything, let me know."

Chelsea pulled Abigail into a hug. "Thanks, Abby." After letting go, they said their goodbyes. Chelsea headed to the table and announced herself. "Good afternoon, Dr. Brown."

Dr. Brown looked up and smiled at Chelsea. "Chelsea Brady…" Standing up, she shook Chelsea's hand, and motioned for her to take a seat. "You can call me Joselyn. I told the waitress to give us a few before coming over to take our order."

Chelsea tried to calm her nerves by tossing her hair back. "Sounds good. So you've been in Salem for how long?"

"Off and on for the last seven years," Joselyn shared. "I had a private practice going just outside of Salem, but I moved back to Salem after I was offered a position at Salem University Hospital as well as the ethics board – I have said a mouthful. I apologize. It's been a while since I have had conversation with a professional close to my age."

Taken back somewhat by Dr. Brown's openness, Chelsea had to take a moment before responding. "It's okay. I am in the same boat as you. I took a break from practicing to help the family, but I moved my licensure here for when I decided to go back to work. You may already know about that though since you're on the licensing board."

Joselyn simply nodded. "I take it you're concerned about having to go before the board."

"Sorry to be frank here, but shouldn't I feel that way? I don't even know what was reported," Chelsea said hoping to get some answers.

Noting how the uncertainty affected Chelsea, Joselyn attempted to ease Chelsea's fears. "I'm sure you haven't done anything wrong if you don't know what it could be, so relax, take a deep breath, and don't let this get to you." Once she had calmed Chelsea, she continued, "Unfortunately, there are a lot of therapists who do things unethically who should have lost their licenses, but the board is not on a witch hunt. We will hear everything and figure things out. You will be fine if you haven't done anything unethical."

Chelsea tried to stay calm and felt slightly embarrassed with the way she lost herself in front of Joselyn. Even though she had secretly wondered if somehow the board got word of what she did to Dario, it still didn't make sense to her. "Have you ever met a therapist who should never practice?"

Joselyn took a moment before answering. "There was a woman – she was sort of a mentor to me in some ways. Anyway, she was really respected by most of Salem, but at some point she lost her way. She did things she shouldn't have done, but she no longer lives in Salem. If she came back and started practicing again, I'd worry for her clients."

Before Chelsea could ask any questions, a waitress came out to take their order. As Joselyn told the waitress what she wanted, Chelsea wondered who the woman Joselyn was referring to and questioned the possibility that she may know the person. When it was her turn to order, Chelsea smiled at the waitress and told her what she wanted. Turning to Joselyn, she wondered why Joselyn wanted to have lunch with her.


	27. The Carver Family

**2.27: The Carver Family**

_Sunday, April 1st, 2012_

Arriving outside of the Caver house, Brady stopped Nicole from ringing the doorbell. "Are you sure it's okay for me to be here? I feel like I am intruding on family time."

After placing her hand on Brady's shoulder, Nicole reminded him, "I invited you purposely so I felt less intrusive considering I'm not really related to Honest Abe. Did I just say that out loud? I usually only call him that in my head."

Brady smiled at Nicole and watched as she rang the doorbell. "Yes, you did, but I don't know why you would feel intrusive when Brandon – your brother – is Abe's son. I, on the other hand, still have no family connection to this family."

"Really Brady?" Nicole asked with some seriousness. "I guess you really hate being a Dimera, because Lexie is your cousin! Lexie was happy when I ran it by her that I wanted to invite you. If you don't want to be here as her cousin, you can just be my friend. Either way, you're here, and you're not going to bow out!"

Just in time, Lexie answered the door. With a big smile on her face, she invited Brady and Nicole in. "It's good that you two could make it."

Brady looked around the living room. He expected to see more people there and wondered if he and Nicole were early. "How's Abe doing?"

After sighing in anticipation, Lexie answered, "Things are looking really good. He's upstairs, and I told him I would help him down. The others are in the kitchen if you want to join them."

As Lexie headed up the stairs, Brandon walked out of the kitchen with a pleased look on his face. "I thought that would be you." Giving Nicole a hug and shaking Brady's hand, he suggested, "How about I introduce you to the others that are here?"

Nicole gave Brady a nervous look. "Sounds great."

Brandon, Brady, and Nicole entered the kitchen and found Theo joking around with his uncle and aunt. Jonah and Karen were playing April Fool's jokes on their nephew. "Hey everyone, this is my sister, Nicole. Nicole, this is my Uncle Jonah and Aunt Karen – they are Abe's siblings."

Nicole shook their hands with a smile. "It's nice to meet you two. I brought my friend, Brady, to join us."

Brady nodded his head to them first and then took their hands. "I hope I'm not intruding."

"Not at all," Karen said with some warmth. "We are all here to celebrate Abraham's recovery. It is truly a blessing."

Abe walked into the kitchen with Lexie's help and had to take a moment due to the shock of everyone in there. "Wow. This is a wonderful surprise."

When everyone settled in at the table, Nicole took a sip of water before asking Lexie, "Is Celeste joining us as well?"

"Mom has been out quite a bit," Lexie shared first as she cut into the roast beef to make sure it was done. "I actually haven't heard from her in a while."

A look of alarm covered Nicole's face as she wondered aloud, "I'm not sure if I should be nervous about that."

Brady lightly tapped Nicole's arm because he wondered if she was making fun of Celeste. "Don't…"

Nicole turned her body to Brady and gave him a look of offense. "I'm serious here."

Deciding to change the subject from her mother, Lexie tilted her head towards Nicole and asked, "Are you sticking around Salem much longer?"

Glancing in Brady's direction for a moment, Nicole answered, "I'm not sure."

Abe gave his brother and sister a warm smile. "You don't know what it means to see you two here. I'm definitely curious to know how the rest of the family is doing."

Karen patted Abe's hand as she shared, "I talked to Jett the other day. I'll have to show you pictures on my phone that he sent me. He is doing really well for himself. I know his father would be proud."

Abe smiled and remembered the trouble Jett got into while he was in Salem. "That is really good to hear. You won't believe it, but Pastor Carlson has stopped by a few times to check in on me."

Jonah raised his right eyebrow. "The pastor from mom's church?"

Abe nodded his head as he looked the table over. Turning to Lexie, he asked, "Is everything set?"

Lexie nodded her head after looking the table over as well. "We can begin now."

"Can I get everyone's attention?" Abe requested by slightly raising his voice. Once he had everyone's gaze, he gave them all an appreciative smile. "It truly means a lot to me that all of you are here. I honestly feel better just by looking in all of your faces." Turning to Lexie, he grabbed her hand and kissed it. "Thank you – thank you so much, Lexie, for never giving up on me. If you had, I would not be here right now."

Wiping a tear from her face, Lexie gushed at how things were positive again for her family. "I am so happy to have you back, Abe. I hope and pray I no longer have to go through anything dark again."

"April Fools!" Theo shouted randomly.

Lexie and the others turned their attention to Theo. "What? Why would you say that, Theo?"

Noting the looks of alarm and concern on everyone's faces, Jonah swiftly stepped in to explain Theo's outburst. "We were playing April Fool's jokes earlier, and I guess he wants to get us back."

Abe smiled at Theo and didn't let the interruption get to him. "I am so happy to see that smile again." Lexie squeezed Abe's hand and agreed.


	28. Family Outreach

**2.28: Family Outreach**

_Tuesday, April 3rd, 2012_

Caroline walked out from the back of the Brady Pub and spotted Arianna and Manny sitting at the bar. She paused for a moment knowing it had been some time since she had seen either of them because of her part in Gabi's leaving. Walking over, she exclaimed, "Hello, you two. It's good to see you both." Showing a sense of guilt and responsibility on her face, she asked, "Have you two heard from Gabi? I wish I had talked her into waiting to take my offer."

Time had passed since that happened. Arianna and Manny understood the situation better and knew Gabi made the decision for herself. "We have not heard from Gabi. We know you gave her an opportunity to better her future."

"Hopefully, she will contact us soon," Manny lamented.

Caroline agreed and decided not to interrupt their meal any longer. "I hope she does as well." Spotting Bo, Hope, Roman, and Ciara entering the pub, she then excused herself. "Enjoy your meal and let me know if you need anything."

When Caroline made her way over, Bo gave her a hug. "Hey, Ma. We have something special for you."

Caroline ignored Bo's announcement and asked, "Have you three given any thought to what I shared about Colin?"

Roman and Bo looked at each other. It bothered them that Caroline had gone to visit Colin at all. "Ma, we aren't too keen on talking about Colin right now."

Hope and Ciara stepped forward to change the subject. "We came here because Ciara has something to give you."

Pulling an envelope from her backpack, Ciara handed it to her grandmother. "Here is an invitation to my school play. It's next month."

Caroline took the envelope and opened the invitation. Smiling at Ciara, she said, "Oh, this is wonderful. You know I won't miss it." Ciara was happy to hear that.

Maddalena entered the pub and walked past the Bradys. She overheard them discussing Chelsea's hearing but knew she did not have time to eavesdrop. Heading straight for Manny and Arianna, she gave them a warm smile as she stated, "I hoped to find you two here."

Manny and Arianna were both surprised to see Maddalena, but even more shocked that she was looking for them. "What for?"

Maddalena smiled at the two of them convincingly and shared, "Every Sunday, we have a special dinner planned and it would be wonderful if you two could join us."

The surprises kept coming as far as Arianna was concerned. "You do?" she questioned remembering how Manny finally revealed Dario's true paternity to her. She couldn't believe her younger brother was a Dimera, but Dario came clean about knowing the truth afterward and convinced her it was true.

Nodding her head, Maddalena confirmed, "Yes. I want Dario to feel loved by all of his family. It is my hope we can work together." Eyeing Manny, she remembered what he did for Rafe and Colin on Melaswen the summer before. She remembered Colin stating he wouldn't work with another Hernandez again, but she knew both were needed in her new plan.

Manny and Arianna eyed each other for a moment. They sensed each other's apprehension to have dinner at Maddalena's mansion. Deciding they needed to do this for Dario, Manny turned to Maddalena. "We will be there," he accepted cautiously.

"I am pleased to hear this," she replied. "I will see you then."

Manny and Arianna watched as Maddalena turned around. Both wondered if this was something they could really do.

Maddalena walked by Bo and Hope again. This time, she made sure to say hello. "I have an appointment, but I wanted to say a swift hello."

Hope gave Maddalena a smile as she walked away and left the pub. Turning to her husband, she whispered, "There's something about Maddalena that I can't shake."

"Well, she is a Dimera," Bo pointed out with conviction.

Hope slightly smacked Bo's arm because she believed he was being a smart-ass. "It's not that. She seems so familiar, but I don't know why."

Bo gave his wife a look of concern. "I don't like the sound of that. Maybe you ran into her when you were Gina."

Hope raised her eyebrows and questioned the possibility.


	29. Board Hearing

**2.29: Board Hearing**

_Thursday, April 5th, 2012_

Chelsea sat nervously across from the ethics board. Her hands felt like they were shaking, but when she looked down they were still. It was her hearing before the ethics board, and her family awaited her fate outside the conference room. Looking towards the board, she spotted Joselyn, who seemed calm. She kept reminding herself to think positively.

"We looked into the accusations brought against you, but now we want to hear from you," Joselyn stated. "We talked to several people about a few incidents that were reported to us. First, we were told about how you provided services for your cousin's son. His name is Johnny Dimera. Did you provide therapeutic services for him?"

"No," Chelsea quickly answered. She didn't understand who would report her on that when she did nothing wrong.

Joselyn looked for a piece of paper before saying, "Why did your grandmother, Katherine Dimera, think you provided services? We have a witness account on her discussing with you how you were offering services to Johnny Dimera at the pub in January."

Chelsea took a moment to remember her conversation with Kate about Johnny. She couldn't believe it got twisted and someone who was at the party turned her in. She wondered who it could be. "She was mistaken, and I clarified things to her. I'm guessing whoever your witness is did not hear that part. Johnny and my little sister had a play date. My cousin asked me what she should do because Johnny's behavior had changed recently. I told Sami – my cousin – I could not be his therapist but offer her a referral instead."

The board members remained silent but looked at each other after Chelsea had finished explaining everything. After a break, another board member, who was a lot older, spoke up. "We have other accounts where you may have practiced unethically. It was reported that you bartered with a friend to give her a therapy session in the middle of Horton Town Square."

Chelsea scrunched her face because she had no idea what they were talking about. "Which friend and what exactly did I barter?"

The board member looked at a sheet of paper before answering. "Your friend's name is Abigail Deveraux. She supposedly offered to pay for your meal in exchange for a therapy session."

Chelsea gave everyone across from her a confused look. "Honestly, I have no idea what you're talking about. Abigail is my best friend, so I am there for her as her friend, but I have never offered to give her a therapy session. I have helped her as a friend because that's what friends do. She jokes all the time about me giving her a session, but it's nothing serious."

Satisfied with Chelsea's response, Joselyn moved on. "Okay, we have one last incident to discuss with you. It involves someone you know. His name is Dario Hernandez."

Chelsea looked down in shame as she remembered what she did to Dario. Raising her eyes back to the board, she swallowed hard before nervously asking, "What do you want to know?"

Outside of the conference room, Caroline took Bo's hand. She had prayed off and on since they arrived. "How long is this going to take?"

Bo patted Caroline's hand and took a deep breath. "I'm sure it won't take much longer. She did nothing wrong, and everything will be fine."

Billie watched the door intently and shook her head. "She hasn't been in her right mind recently because of…"

"I don't think now is the right time to bring that up," Kate said to stop Billie from airing out Chelsea's dirty laundry.

Hope walked up with Ciara, who had a snack from the vending machine. "Anything yet?"

Before anyone could respond, Chelsea walked out from the conference room. She did not look happy, but she didn't look devastated either. "It's over," she announced.

Caroline, Bo, Kate, Abigail, and Billie immediately crowded Chelsea. "What happened?"

"I don't want to talk about it now," Chelsea quipped. "I just want some time alone."

Abigail gave Chelsea a hug worried that the board took her license away from her. "I'm so sorry, Chels."

Billie cut in to give Chelsea a hug. "I am sorry, too, Chelsea. All that confusion caused you to come here in the first place."

Chelsea gently pushed her mother away from her. "I'm sorry, too. I can't do this right now. I need to get some air – alone."

Everyone stepped back, so Chelsea could walk out. Caroline looked into the conference room and was tempted to ask the board members what they said to Chelsea but refrained. Turning back to Bo, she encouraged, "Everything will work out."

Bo wrapped his arm around Caroline's back and shared, "I'm sure it will, but we have to wait anyway. Chelsea said before that the board won't make its decision today. They'll mail their decision at a later date."


	30. Bachelor Camping

**2.30: Bachelor Camping**

_Friday, April 6th, 2012_

Nathan walked in the Horton Cabin with his phone to his ear. He was talking to Melanie while the guys grabbed their stuff from the car. "We're finally inside the cabin. Have you figured out what's going on with your bachelorette party?"

"I'm not sure yet," Melanie answered on the other side. "Arianna and Abigail have been working on something special for tonight. Oh! I forgot to tell you something!"

Nathan looked over and watched as Will and Sonny walked past him with their things. "What's your news?"

"Maxine has agreed to be my last bridesmaid!" Melanie exclaimed. "Of course, I had to make some promises to her before she agreed."

Nathan smiled. "That's great! I'm glad you found someone to replace Gabi. Our wedding party is now officially complete!"

As Will began to unpack some of his things, he looked at Sonny and commented, "Looks like we will have reception when we really don't need it." Will made sure to give Nathan a dirty but playful look.

Sonny played along. "I thought this was supposed to be guy time! I guess Nathan is really whipped!"

Nathan was not amused with Sonny and Will poking fun at him. He gave them a look to make them stop, so he could continue talking to Melanie. "Your brother is not here yet."

Will grabbed his bag and headed to the bedroom and froze when he looked at the bed. Memories of sharing the bed with Chad began to flood his memory. When Sonny walked in, Will decided, "I think I may have to sleep on the couch while we're here."

Sonny knew what Will was going through. "It's weird coming back here since the last time we were here, things were so different. You were happy with Chad, and I had Dario."

"Isobel is dead now, and Chad drove away," Will said with some defeat still in his voice. Trying to push the pain back, he declared, "We can't dwell on that though. This weekend is about Nathan and not us!"

Sonny put his arm around Will and agreed. "You're right. We're here to have fun!"

Will smiled and dropped his bag to get in the spirit of what they were here for. "Forget our losses and let's celebrate!"

"Guys!" Nathan yelled from the other room.

Will and Sonny walked out to find Nathan was no longer alone or on the phone. Nicholas was now standing next to him. "Nicholas. You made it," Will said with slightly forced excitement.

Nicholas smiled with relief. "Yeah. I had some small complications on my way back to the states, but all of that is behind me. I'm ready for this!"

Nathan patted Nicholas on the back. He was glad to spend some more time with his future brother-in-law. Realizing Sonny and Nicholas didn't know each other he quickly introduced them. "Nicholas, this is my friend, Sonny Kiriakis. Sonny, this is Melanie's brother, Nicholas Alamain."

Nicholas and Sonny shook hands. "I know your family really well," he admitted before adding, "I have heard a lot about you."

Sonny knew some about Nicholas as well. "I hope all good things."

Nathan grabbed his bag and threw it on the couch. "So what's up first on our agenda?"

Will took a deep breath before answering. "Well, we need to get the cooler over to the grill. I'm going to start things there with Sonny's help, but we also need to make sure the volleyball court is set up. I figure we could play some tonight after dinner."

Nathan rubbed his hands together in excitement. "Nicholas and I can check that out while you two sort dinner. I'm starving!"


	31. Meet Up

**2.31: Meet Up**

_Monday, April 9th, 2012_

At the Horton Town Square, Brandon and Nicole found a bench to sit and talk. Placing his arm on the back of the bench, Brandon questioned, "I noticed you have spent a lot of time with Brady recently. Anything you want to tell me?"

"Really Brandon? You want to know about me and Brady?" Nicole asked clearly annoyed. "I talked to mom the other day and she was asking me why I was still in Salem like she actually missed me. I know she's having a great time with Taylor and does not need me."

Brandon leaned in on his sister to annoy her more. "You're seriously going to avoid a simple question? You know that will only make me assume…"

Nicole glared a Brandon. "Oh you… Brady and I are just friends…"

Brandon put a smirk on his face as he assumed, "With benefits? …"

Nicole slapped her brother off of her. "Brandon… no. Not this time," she admitted.

Walking up, Kate stopped when she saw Nicole and Brandon. "Oh great… my last day in Salem just took a turn for the worse," she complained as she rolled her eyes. "I truly have no luck, but I suppose that will change because I'm not going to miss seeing you at all."

Nicole scowled at Kate. "The feeling is mutual, Medusa. I'd ask where you're off to, but I don't really care as long as it means you won't be in Salem. I might just stick around longer if you promise to never come back!"

"If you want to stay in Salem so bad, why don't you slip into something more comfortable then – like a coma?" Kate scoffed before rushing off. Making her way further into the town square, she found Chelsea alone with Ignazio. She had found them together a lot more recently, but they were usually with Dario. "I'm sorry to interrupt whatever this is, but I wanted to check in one last time before I said goodbye."

Ignazio could see Chelsea was a bit surprised by Kate's announcement. "Where are you going?"

"I have business I must attend to out of town, and I'll be gone for some time," Kate shared. Turning to her granddaughter, she wondered if Chelsea was going to stand up to give her a hug. "Have you heard anything from the board?"

Chelsea glanced at her purse for a second but stood up to give Kate a hug. "No. Nothing yet."

Kate held Chelsea for a moment and tried to help Chelsea think more positively. "I'm sure everything will work in your favor."

"I'm not so sure," Chelsea confessed.

Kate gave Chelsea one last squeeze before letting her go. "Have some faith. You were born to do what you're doing. It would be cruel if the world took that away from you."

Chelsea took a deep breath and forced a smile. "Well, now it's weird that you're leaving. Max and mom already left after we talked everything out and won't be back until Melanie's wedding."

Kate gave Chelsea a look of comfort. "Well, it's not a forever goodbye."

As Kate continued to say goodbye to Chelsea, Sami and Azzura walked out of Mandalay Café. "I'm glad we decided to do this today. I really need some second opinions on what I'm wearing for the event this Friday."

Azzura nodded. "I need help as well. Are you okay with going though? I know last time Salem celebrated Friday, the 13th, your son was attacked."

Sami shook her head as she remembered the fear she experienced from all of that. "Well, I think we're safe in Salem now. I need to go since EJ is still the acting mayor while Abe recovers." Heading over towards the other end, she and Azzura ran into Brandon and Nicole, who decided to grab some coffee. "Brandon."

"What the hell is going on here?" Nicole asked rhetorically as her body shivered in disgust before commenting, "You and Kate in the same vicinity should be against the law, so people don't have to see you two so close to each other."

Brandon was surprised to see Sami as well. He had managed to miss her since returning to Salem to help Abe. "Sami. It's really good to see you. I hear life is treating you well."

Sami smiled widely. "Yeah. It's been wonderful even with the expected drama and turmoil that seems to follow me everywhere," she let out making sure to glance over towards Nicole.

Brandon laughed and nodded his head with gladness. "It's great that you're overcoming it and not allowing it to bring you down. I knew you'd get there someday."

Sami gave Brandon a nervous questioning look. "You actually still had faith in me?"

"Yeah," Brandon confirmed.

Nicole watched Brandon and Sami for a moment and couldn't take it anymore. "Is this seriously happening right now?" Hitting Brandon in the back of his head, she caught his attention. "What the hell is wrong with you? How can you be so friendly to Sami, the birdbrain bimbo? You do know she is married to my psycho ex, EJ Dimera, right?"

Sami quickly became guarded. "You're asking what's wrong with him? Look at you jumping to assumptions. Brandon and I are good friends and always have been." Turning to Brandon, she asked for confirmation. "Right, Brandon?"

Brandon nodded his head and affirmed, "Sami and I are friends – we've been through a lot."

As Nicole scoffed at the two of them, Azzura smiled inside because she loved the connection Brandon and Sami seemed to have with each other. It was definitely more respectable than her relationship with Lucas. She wondered if Brandon and Sami were lying to each other.

With Kate gone, Chelsea sat down with Ignazio again. She looked at her purse and sighed heavily. "I have to do this at some point," she whispered to herself.

Ignazio heard her whisper but couldn't make out what she said. "What did you whisper?"

Chelsea pulled an envelope from her purse and placed it on the table. Eyeing it, she shared, "It's the letter from the board. I got it this morning."

"But you told your nonna…"

"I lied," Chelsea admitted. "I didn't want her to feel obligated to comfort me when I got the bad news."

Ignazio was still confused. "You have already opened it?"

Chelsea shook her head. "No. I guess I have this gut feeling that I'm never going to practice again. I don't know what I would do if that happens. You don't understand what this means to me."

Ignazio struggled with remaining calm because of how distraught Chelsea seemed. "You will live another day if they take your license. You will find something better."

Chelsea looked deep into Ignazio's eyes showing great vulnerability. "No. You don't understand what this means to me, Ignazio," she repeated before disclosing, "I got into child psychology because of my little brother, Zach."

Ignazio wanted to look away from Chelsea because the vulnerability frightened him, but he could not abandon Chelsea. "What do you mean? I was not aware of your little brother. Where is he?"

Tears fell down Chelsea's face as she revealed, "My little brother is dead. I killed him in an accident. I was such an idiot, and I won't ever fully forgive myself. If I lose my license – my practice – I won't be able to keep my promise to Zach. I'll be a failure."

Ignazio had to look away for a moment as guilt came over him. He could not believe that he put her in this position because he did not want her to leave Salem.

Chelsea's shame only increased when Ignazio turned away from her. "You are disappointed in me," she stated in devastation.

Ignazio quickly turned to Chelsea and grabbed her hand. Looking directly into her eyes, he hastily refuted, "No, Chelsea. You are such a strong and beautiful woman. Nothing could ever change that in my eyes." Realizing he had said more than he wanted, Ignazio took a step back emotionally and said, "You should open the envelope. We can't talk about what might happen. You need to know before you can decide what you need to do."

Chelsea let go of Ignazio's hands and agreed. Taking a long and deep breath, Chelsea finally got the nerve to open it and read what the board decided. Reading the letter, she let out a smile of relief. "Oh my gosh…"

"What is it?" Ignazio asked in anticipation.

Chelsea wiped her tears and shared, "I'm not losing my license for good. I just need to take a few ethics classes and then I can start practicing again in a year. They believe that if I did anything wrong, it was extremely minor and only need to refresh my memory with the ethical guidelines of my licensure."

"That's good, correct?" Ignazio asked to be sure.

Chelsea nodded her head and pulled Ignazio into a hug. "Yes. Thank you, Ignazio."

Ignazio patted Chelsea on the back and tried his best not to be pulled in completely. "I am your friend. I will help you overcome whatever it is you need to overcome. You deserve that from me."


	32. Uncertainties

**2.32: Uncertainties**

_Wednesday, April 11th, 2012_

Taking a seat on the couch with EJ at the Dimera mansion, Maddalena gently placed her hand on EJ's knee and shared, "Thank you for meeting with me to discuss the family business. I hope you do not see me as a threat to how things are run, but I want to talk to you about your nonno. Santo was committed to the business and helped set up the foundation of our family's success."

EJ nodded his head as he listened to his aunt. "Father told me plenty about Santo. I know about the promises my father had to make on my grandfather's deathbed. It led to a lot of evil and death to this family. I sometimes wonder what my life would be like if my grandfather had not put that on my father."

"You do not know the entire story, EJ," Maddalena cautioned before digressing. "We are not here to discuss the vendettas and the wars in detail. Our family seems to have lost its way due to them, but we must grow from this and become better. We must do what my father wanted for this family all along."

EJ gave Maddalena a curious look. "And what would that be?"

Before Maddalena could say more, the doorbell rang. "Are you expecting someone, nipote?"

EJ shook his head as he stood up from the couch. Maddalena got up as well. Making their way to the front door, EJ opened it to find Roman, Bo, and Hope on the other side. Glancing at his watch, EJ asked, "What's with the house call at this time?"

"We need to talk, Junior," Bo shared motioning his head to EJ to allow them in.

EJ moved out of the way and let the three cops come in. A bit frustrated, he warned, "Samantha is upstairs trying to put the kids to sleep. I don't have much time."

Roman put his hand up to calm EJ. "This shouldn't take long. We'll be quick. Colin Murphy has been talking to my mother, Sami's grandmother. He claims he only turned on your father to get him out of the picture to protect our family. He has no idea if Stefano had anything to do with the missing bodies and Abe's attack."

Maddalena remained quiet and in the background. She was pleased that Colin had figured out her plan without her having to tell him. She hadn't been able to contact him.

"We don't know if he's just talking to get out of prison, but we do need your help here. It is imperative," Hope proclaimed.

Bo moved closer to EJ and asked, "Do you know anything about Stefano's whereabouts?"

EJ eyed the three cops for a moment before replying, "We've already discussed this." He did not want to talk about his father.

Annoyed that EJ had avoided giving a real answer, Roman decided to get his attention by mentioning, "Chad. We are thinking it's possible Chad could have helped your father disappear. I mean, he also disappeared the same night as Stefano."

"You already know what happened with Chad," EJ argued. "Your grandson is a witness to that, so Chad had nothing to do with my father's disappearance."

Hope raised her eyebrow as she pointed out, "But he may know something we don't know. It's a little suspicious that Chad would leave at the same time. What would push him to abandon Will like that?"

EJ grew nervous inside because they couldn't know the whole reason Chad most likely left Will since they didn't know about the discovery made on the pier. Even if his younger brother was being a pain in the ass, he wanted to protect him from the cops. He contemplated telling them the truth about Stefano.


	33. Left Behind

**2.33: Left Behind**

_Friday, April 13th, 2012_

Sitting in his apartment, Chad picked up a book from his desk. He was trying so hard to get some homework done, but he kept glancing at the date on his laptop. Trying to regain his focus, Chad closed his laptop after turning off the music. He got up for a moment and paced to vent out his frustration. "Chad, you need to focus on your future. Things are different, and you can't go back."

Chad eventually stopped in front of the cabinet above his stove. He looked it over for a moment before finally opening it. Inside was a bottle of whiskey. He was really tempted to pull it out and drink, but he had made promises. Grabbing the bottle, he remembered how a friend left it there one night and asked him to hold onto it. He couldn't let it stay there any longer. Pulling off the top, he poured the bottle down the drain. "I can't let this sadness get to me anymore. I can't let it pull me back to what it was."

After throwing the empty bottle in the trash, Chad headed back to his desk and grabbed his phone. He wondered if he should call his boss but then remembered the time. It was almost 2am. Heading over to the bookshelf near the door, he placed his cell on top. He looked through the books and found the one he was looking for. Opening the book, he found a picture of Will to look it over. He still missed him so much and wondered if he was torturing himself by keeping the photo. He really hoped Will was happy.

Suddenly, Chad's phone began to go off. Attempting to grab for it while he continued to hold the book and Will's picture, he accidentally pushed his phone behind the bookcase. "Crap…" he let out as he gently put the book and picture on the desk.

By the time Chad reached behind the bookshelf to grab his phone, it stopped ringing. While he grabbed for it, he spotted a strange envelope he hadn't seen before. After picking up his phone, he picked up the envelope as well and headed back to the desk to take the seat. "Where the hell did this come from?"

Studying the envelope, Chad noted it was sealed, but it did not have a stamp or anything written on it. He decided to open it to see what was inside. Finding a letter addressed to him, he quickly looked at the bottom and noted it was from EJ. "What is this?" he asked himself.

Chad decided to read the letter in his head and quickly covered his mouth at the message it contained. He couldn't believe it.


	34. Skype Date

**2.34: Skype Date**

_Friday, April 13th, 2012_

Will walked into his apartment in a hurry, but when he saw Sonny dressed up to go out, he stopped and questioned, "What's going on? What are you still doing here?"

Sonny stood up from the couch and gave Will a confused look. "I've been waiting for you. I tried calling, but you didn't answer. We're late!"

"I already told you I wasn't going tonight," Will stated as he pulled his laptop out of his backpack. Placing it on the coffee table in front of the couch, he added, "I'm sorry you waited, but you should go have fun without me. It's best I avoid another Friday, the 13th celebration because of what happened last time."

Sonny wanted to push Will to go, but he could see he had other things going on. He wondered if it had anything to do with the frat. Will was spending a lot of time with the Kappas recently. "Fine. I guess I'll see you later."

Will noticed Sonny rushed out so that Will couldn't say anything else. He wondered if Sonny was upset with him. Sitting on the couch, he turned on his laptop and signed into Skype. As soon as he was logged in, a video call came in. It was Marlena. "Hey grandma."

"Hold on a second," Marlena said. "Your uncle is joining us."

When Eric appeared on the screen in a separate window, Will smiled. "Hey Uncle Eric. This is a nice surprise."

Eric smiled back and said, "Yeah. I thought it would be good to Skype with the two of you at the same time. How is life in Salem?"

"Yes, tell us what's new there?" Marlena echoed as she adjusted her robe.

Will messed with the collar of his shirt while he replied, "Well, school is going great. I'm really enjoying my classes. I'm also meeting new people all the time. My world definitely seems a lot bigger now with the frat, school, and going out with Kai, Brett, and some other guys. What's new with you two?"

"We'll get to that later," Marlena said ominously. "Sami told me that there's a special event tonight. I hope you're not skipping it to Skype with the two of us."

Will didn't think anything of Marlena's sidestepping his question because his thoughts went to his attack three months ago. "I never planned on going," he admitted. "As you know, a lot happened the last time Salem threw one, and I'd rather move forward with my life."

Directing the conversation to Marlena, Eric asked, "Is that what you would call avoiding the problem? That's unhealthy, right?"

Marlena began to laugh. "Oh, leave Will alone," she charged before returning to Will so she could respond. "Will, it seems like you are doing things to move forward. I know a lot has happened to you with that attack and Chad leaving, but I hope you're also not keeping yourself from enjoying other things as well."

Will wasn't sure exactly what Marlena meant by that. At the same time, he didn't want to know. "Thanks grandma. I am enjoying my life as much as possible. I'm taking one day at a time and healing that way."

"That's great, Will," Marlena encouraged.

Wanting to change the subject, Eric decided to return to Will's question. "I have some news for you, Will!"

Marlena's eyes raised as she commented, "You're going to tell him the big news now?"

"What news?" Will asked with some excitement.

Eric took a moment to let the anticipation increase. He finally announced, "I am moving to Salem. I am bringing my photography business there eventually. I have to make the proper preparations and adjustments to make it all work, so I will be there – hopefully – by next year."

Will couldn't contain how excited he was to have his uncle move to Salem. "That's so awesome. I remember you mentioning that you were thinking about it! Have you told mom?"

Eric shook his head. "No. You're the first person in Salem I am telling. Hopefully it will all work out."

"Wait…" Will stated putting a pause on the celebration. "What about the family estate in Colorado?"

Marlena's face lit up now. "I guess that's when I come in and tell you what's going on in my life." As her smile widened, she continued, "John and I are moving to Colorado to take care of the estate and be closer to all of you!"

Will became even more ecstatic! "This is so great! I can't believe this is happening! You two have definitely made this day so much better!" Eric and Marlena were glad to help Will feel good.


	35. Stefano Is Dead

**2.35: Stefano is Dead**

_Sunday, April 15th, 2012_

The special Sunday dinner had arrived at Maddalena's mansion. Arianna and Manny had actually showed up to get to know Dario's newfound family better. Dario was excited that they could come together. At the same time, though, he felt a tension in the room. He wondered if this would work.

Maddalena hoped her plan would work as well. Turning to Arianna and Manny, she shared, "I know the name Dimera comes with a lot of preconceived ideas – especially in this town – but I would like to share a bit of history about my family to put your suspicions at ease. I would also like to know some history about your family. It could be fun if we discovered any hidden connections or similarities between us."

Manny wasn't sure if there would be any. Even though EJ had been kind to him and his family, he still had his doubts because of his dealings with Colin. He questioned if Stefano was the one pulling his strings to eventually take down his brother. It was all a mystery.

"My father's name was Santo, and he is the one responsible for starting the current family business and returning glory to our family," Maddalena began. "You see our ancestors were at one time royalty and nobility. The Dimeras were highly respected before a tragic turn of events. My father worked hard to bring that back."

Dario loved hearing the story of his ancestors. He was intrigued by the thought of having ancestors who were kings and queens. Patting Ignazio on the back, he interrupted Maddalena's story. "This is the stuff I want to know, Ignazio."

Ignazio smiled at Dario and shook his head. "Well, I had no idea. You should have asked, and I would have told you."

Dario gave Ignazio a silly look. "You say that now, but when we're back at the guesthouse you're all about Chelsea and learning the guitar."

Manny noted the closeness between Dario and Ignazio. It bothered him because he didn't expect that to happen so quickly. He questioned if their closeness was genuine and remembered his conversation with Chelsea. Returning to what Maddalena had shared, he asked, "So I take it Stefano is the black sheep – the one who brought shame to your family?"

Maddalena smiled inside because she now had the perfect opportunity to put Arianna to good use. Her appearance, however, was very solemn. "Yes, my brother was responsible for some awful things, and though I was upset with him for what he had done, I can't be that way anymore. I strongly regret I was unable to reconcile with him before his death."

The room suddenly got quiet with what Maddalena had just said. Arianna studied her for a moment and noted she didn't seem to notice what she had just said. "Stefano is dead?"

"Huh?" Maddalena let out pretending to be surprised by her _accidental_ slip. She knew full well what she was doing and remembered how EJ informed her of Stefano's death on the pier. She hoped by sharing what EJ had said to her, Arianna would catch on to EJ's secret and do something about it. "Did I say that?"

Ignazio gave Maddalena a worried look. "Nonna, are you okay?"

Maddalena nodded her head and gave Manny and Arianna an apologetic look. "I did not want to discuss my brother. I wanted to enlighten you of the Dimera family because I want you two to know I want to make sure Dario is set for life."

Arianna studied Maddalena and didn't have anything to say because she couldn't shake how she had shared Stefano was dead. She questioned if EJ already knew of his father's demise and wanted to go back to that, but Dario cut in before she could say anything.

"You don't have to do that, nonna," Dario started. "I can take care of myself. I…"

Ignazio put his hand on Dario's chest to stop his protest. "Dario, there is nothing wrong with accepting help. As family, we are here to support each other. You should not have to live life alone."

Nodding his head, Dario caved. "You're right. We shouldn't have to do this alone," he stated as his thoughts wandered. He couldn't believe how much life had changed and even though he still had Arianna and Manny through it all, he couldn't help but note what else he had gained and lost. He lost Sonny and his mother, and those facts still bothered him more than he wanted. "Stop…" he mumbled to escape his thoughts.

Manny caught his brother's attention. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing…" Dario quickly dismissed and returned to his food.

After dinner was over, Arianna and Manny said their goodbyes and left Dario there with Ignazio and Maddalena. Arianna made sure to get in the driver's seat, so she could drive to the other mansion. After parking, she turned to her brother. "Manny, I need you to stay out here. I need to talk to EJ."

Manny threw his sister a suspicious look. "Okay, but we need to talk about tonight."

"We will once we get back to our place… I promise." Arianna got out of the car and rang the doorbell hoping EJ would be there. When EJ answered the door, Arianna quickly pushed him in the house so she could close the door. "We need to talk, EJ! I can't believe this!"

EJ was somewhat startled with the way Arianna rushed in there. "What on earth is going on here? Why are you here? I thought you didn't want to talk to me anymore."

Arianna shook her head in disapproval to EJ. "I can't believe you. I can't believe I am so surprised by this." Putting her hand over her forehead she gave EJ a dumbfounded look. "Oh my gosh, EJ. Tell me what happened to your father. I know you lied to the police about what happened. Is he really dead? Is Stefano dead?"

EJ studied Arianna and could see she knew something he hoped she would not know. He couldn't give her the confirmation though. "I have nothing to say to you. You can't just barge in here and accuse me of things. I guess you really did mean it when you said we weren't friends anymore with the way you're treating me."

"How can I be your friend when I don't even know who you are?" Arianna contended. "Who are you, EJ? I thought I knew who you were until what happened with Marco. Are you going to lie and keep secrets like your father?"

EJ put his hand up in frustration. "I don't have to sit here and take your abuse."

Arianna pushed EJ's hand down. "You need to listen to this because I don't think you've thought everything through here. Someone needs to ask you these questions if you're not going to ask them yourself!"

EJ placed his right hand on his hip while placing his left on his forehead. "What questions am I supposedly avoiding? You tell me you don't know who I am, but now you seem to be the expert on my life!"

"Are you the same monster as your father?" Arianna threw at EJ causing him to be silent. "With the way I see how things are heading now, you are going to live and die as your father has died, and then it will be Johnny's turn!"

"That is enough!" EJ boomed loudly. He had clearly lost his composure due to Arianna bringing his son into this. Lowering the volume of his voice while keeping the same intensity, he attempted to collect himself while instructing, "I think it's time you leave, Arianna."

After EJ opened the front door for her, Arianna looked at EJ for a moment wondering if she had finally got through to him. "Fine. I'll go, but I hope you prove me wrong."

EJ said nothing and closed the door once Arianna left. He looked up the stairs hoping that no one heard him yell at Arianna. Grabbing a family picture, he looked at his children with a look of torment. What would be his next move?


	36. College Graduation

**2.36: College Graduation**

_Friday, May 4th, 2012_

Abigail arrived at Salem U and grabbed a commencement program on her way to meet up with the other graduates. It was her graduation day, and she couldn't believe she had finally made it through undergrad. Arriving to the room where all the others were waiting and getting in order, Abigail found her place and looked through the program. She looked through the names to see who was graduating with her and was surprised when she saw Josh's name on the list.

Abigail quickly raised her head and looked the room over. She questioned the possibility that Josh could be in the room with her at that very moment. "Josh finished his courses here after he moved?" she asked herself mentally. Finding someone she knew, she caught their attention. "Hey Stacey. Have you seen Josh at all? His name is in the program."

"I haven't," Stacey shared. "I don't think I've seen him all semester really."

Abigail forced a small smile and decided to head back to her spot. She kept studying the room until everyone was led to the auditorium for graduation. She really hoped Josh would be there.

After the ceremony was over and Josh never showed up, Abigail found her family and Chelsea waiting for her outside. They immediately gave her a group hug led by Jack. "I can't believe it! I'm a college graduate!"

"I am so proud of you," Jack said placing his hand on Abigail's shoulder.

Jen agreed and gave Abigail another hug. "We all screamed with excitement when they called your name."

"Could you hear us?" JJ asked in anticipation.

Abigail nodded her head and smiled at her brother. "Yeah. It made my walking across that much better." Turning to look the crowd over one last time for Josh, she spotted Ezra walking over. Bending her knees slightly she yelled, "Ezra! We did it!"

Ezra smiled and gave Abigail a hug. "I can't believe we are moving on to grad school!" After giving Abigail a hug, he made sure to say hi to the others.

Adjusting her cap, Abigail tried to play off her disappointment in not seeing Josh by putting on a smile. "Let's enjoy this time before we get back to school. Have any plans?"

Ezra nodded and announced, "I'm traveling for most of the summer actually. It was a graduation gift."

Wanting to get in on the conversation, Jack stepped in. "Where are you going?"

"I'm traveling around Europe," Ezra answered while keeping his gaze on Abigail. "It will be nice to get away for a bit, but we'll definitely have to keep in touch, Deveraux."

Jennifer wondered if there was more going on between Ezra and Abigail and stepped in as well. "Do you have plans to celebrate your big accomplishment, Ezra?"

Taking off his cap, Ezra turned to Jen and shared, "Yeah. I think my mom and I are going out to eat actually. Apparently, she's surprised I made it this far – something about my decisions being questionable before." Ezra made sure to laugh to let everyone know he was joking. Scratching the top of his head, he excused himself, "I'll let you guys do what you need to. Catch you later, Deveraux."

Abigail gave Ezra another hug and tried to not make a big deal about it after he left. Turning to everyone else, she ignored the looks on their faces knowing they wanted more details on Ezra. She decided, "Let's go to that surprise party I'm not supposed to know about now."

Jen covered her mouth in disappointment. "How did you know? I thought we had that covered."

Chelsea stepped forward giving them a guilty look. "She made me talk!" she playfully exclaimed in a defensive tone.

"Sorry," Abigail said with a smile feeling a pull to look for Josh one more time. After one last glance over the crowd she knew Josh was never coming back to Salem. She missed him so much.


	37. The Truth

**2.37: The_ Truth_**

_Wednesday, May 30th, 2012_

"Thank you all for coming," Lexie stated. She was standing next to her brother, EJ, and looked across the living room of the Dimera mansion to Abe, Bo, Roman, Hope, Arianna, and Maddalena, who sat in the chair Stefano used to sit in. Lexie continued, "EJ and I decided we needed to meet and discuss some things that are very important. First, with the great progress Abe has made, EJ and I have discussed and strongly believe Abe should take over as acting mayor again in July."

EJ went over and shook Abe's hand. "I really don't think I made good mayor material. The job is a lot harder than it looks."

As Maddalena pretended to be happy with this news, Abe gave EJ a smile of appreciation but was apprehensive about taking office again. "I'm not sure if this is the time to discuss this. Hopefully, I will be ready by then, but I hope you know I think you've done a fine job."

Lexie walked closer and agreed with her husband on the work EJ had done. "You may not enjoy being mayor, brother, but you have done some great work. You've helped prevent hate crimes and raised awareness on complete equality."

EJ nodded his head to Lexie and Abe with appreciation. Reflecting on the discomfort he felt from trying to stop all crime in Salem, he knew the pressure to be someone he wasn't used to being was too much for him. "That truly means a lot to me, but I still believe I am not a good fit in the role of mayor."

Turning to her husband, Lexie shared her one disagreement with what he said. "You will be ready, Abe. Things are going so well, and you have recovered faster than the doctors expected."

Roman rolled his eyes at the idea that EJ helped prevent crimes. Patting Abe on the back, he spoke, "I look forward to when Abe becomes acting mayor again because we really need Abe back in that office."

EJ bit his tongue and decided to play nice. "Well, the plan has always been for me to remain in office only to finish Abe's term if necessary. I need to focus on my family and our business, and I barely have time for that currently."

As Arianna began to wonder if EJ had any plans on coming clean about his father's death today, Bo stepped up to put EJ in the hot seat. "So have you heard from your father at all?"

Lexie traded a glance with EJ before replying for him, "That is another reason EJ and I have asked you all to meet us here. It's time we tell you the truth about what happened to our father four months ago."

Raising her eyebrow, Hope enquired, "The truth?"

Maddalena raised her eyebrows as well.

EJ placed his hands in his pockets and nodded his head. "Yes. My sister and I are going to tell you what really happened the night my father disappeared. Lexie and I found Chad and Will standing over him on the pier. My father was unconscious."

"I checked father over, and he was already dead when we arrived," Lexie clarified.

"We sent Chad and Will away after they told us they found Stefano injured. Someone had stabbed him and the two had no idea who did it. Chad did nothing wrong and just got scared. I believe that is why he left town without Will. It was too much for him to handle."

Bo wasn't so sure about Chad's part in all of this because he found EJ's coming forward with this information now too convenient. "We know how hurt Will was after Chad left, so only time will tell whether Chad had any part in that."

As EJ walked off to grab a box from the desk, Lexie implored, "Chad and Will had nothing to do with father's attack. I promise you!"

Abe was curious and couldn't believe Lexie had kept him in the dark about this. "How can you be so sure?"

"We found this," EJ said as he opened the box to reveal the knife used on Stefano. "This was used against my father. It is the same knife you claim is connected to Abe's and Will's attacks. My father was clearly set up to take the fall by someone, and that someone wanted to make sure my father knew."

Hope looked the knife over and couldn't believe it. "It is the exact same knife. I know we still have the one that was found here because I saw it in the evidence room this morning."

Arianna looked the knife over as well as she recalled, "It's possible someone put the knife in that piano bench because they knew I would find it there. They have been one step ahead of the police department this entire time."

Even though they hadn't seen eye to eye for a while, it hurt EJ to hear Arianna confirm she was the one who found the knife that helped put his father behind bars. She had betrayed him and went through his house without going to him about it.

"Was the corrupt cop ever found – the one who was leaking information to the media?" Lexie questioned.

Hope ran her hand through her hair as she answered, "No. He or she has not been found."

Abe couldn't believe the state they were in. Hearing that there was a corrupt officer working for the police department reminded him of how his older brother was killed by a dirty cop. With great certainty, he ordered, "We will need to do a complete overhaul at the police department because this is not good for the safety of Salem and those trying to keep it safe."

"I'm glad you said it, and not me," EJ commented breaking out of his thoughts.

Bo and Roman gave EJ a dirty look but agreed. "It's going to be a long process, but for the time being we need to know if there's anything else you two have yet to share," Bo said directing his voice to EJ and Lexie.

EJ and Lexie traded looks once again before they both said, "Yes."


	38. Horton-Jonas Wedding

**2.38: Horton-Jonas Wedding**

_Wednesday, June 27th, 2012_

As the crowd mingled in anticipation of the wedding, Maxine walked into the church with her son, Cameron Davis. "You can find a seat. I need to go check on Melanie to make sure everything is going smoothly."

Cameron looked the church over after his mother walked off. Whispering to himself, he noted, "Salem seems kind of different now. It's so weird being back here."

Will walked past Cameron and found Arianna waiting for him up front. "How are things going with Melanie?"

"She is ready. Carly has already walked out," Arianna answered. "Is Nathan ready?"

Will looked the room over. "Yeah. He's trying to contain his excitement."

Arianna smiled. "That's so sweet. I'll report to Melanie that everything is ready then. See you in a few."

After Arianna left, Will headed towards the room where the other guys were, but he ran into Daniel on the way. He noticed Daniel seemed upset. "Daniel, everything okay?"

"I don't know," Daniel admitted with great stress in his voice.

Will waited for Daniel to say more, but he didn't. "Is something wrong? I'm sure whatever it is will work itself out. Melanie and Nathan are both ready to walk down that aisle. Are you afraid it's not going to work out? It will."

Daniel took a deep breath and felt calmer. "You're right. I'm worried over something small that doesn't matter. Thanks. You'd think with the way I'm acting this should be my wedding."

Will suddenly felt awkward as he thought about how Daniel was once engaged to his Aunt Jennifer. "Yeah…"

Daniel had the same thought and eyed Jennifer across the room talking to Carly, Melissa, Sarah, Maggie, and Marie. "Well, if they're ready, we should get this show on the road."

Will was glad Daniel could move on from the awkwardness. "Yeah. I need to report to Nathan. We'll be out here in a sec."

After Will left, Max walked up and grabbed Daniel's shoulder. "I found the envelope. I guess you dropped it."

Daniel grabbed the envelope from Max and kissed it. "Thank the Lord. Nathan and Melanie will need these for their honeymoon."

In the groom's room, Will found Nathan waiting for him. "The chapel is completely set up, and Melanie is ready when you are."

"I'm definitely ready!" Nathan exclaimed. Pulling Will over with the other two guys, Nathan cleared his throat before saying, "Before we go out, I want to make sure I say a few things to all of you." He turned to Nicholas first. "I am glad I've gotten to know you, and I am excited to have you for a brother-in-law."

"Me, too." Nicholas said with a smile.

Nathan then turned to Sonny and made sure to squeeze his shoulder. "Sonny, you have become a friend who is irreplaceable. Thank you for educating me and not dismissing me when I was clearly misinformed."

Sonny felt a sense of pride as he thought about how much his relationship with Nathan had changed. He really needed the kind words Nathan said to him. "You are a great guy, and Melanie is definitely lucky."

Nicholas grabbed Sonny's shoulder and reacted, "Nathan is the lucky one!"

After the guys laughed, Nathan finally turned to Will and gave him a look of great appreciation. "Thank you so much, Will, for everything you've done for me as my best man. You've really helped me prepare for this, and I will always appreciate your talks. When you get married, I will definitely try my best to return the favor."

Will smiled widely at what Nathan had to say, but then a part of him wondered if that would ever be possible for him. He also felt a bit of sadness because Chad was supposed to be one of the three groomsmen for Nathan. He should have been there. "That would be great," he said to appease Nathan.

Nathan pulled the other guys close and exclaimed, "Group hug!" The guys echoed his exclamation and laughed.

As the guys separated, Nicholas leaned into Sonny in excitement as he had an announcement of his own. "I've decided I'm staying in Salem," he declared. The other guys pulled into another group hug in excitement once again. Will's eyes met Sonny's and both smiled wider.


	39. New Job

**2.39: New Job**

_Saturday, June 30th, 2012_

Sitting alone at the Horton Town Square, Nicole searched through the newspaper job listings. She decided to stay in Salem since she found out her mother was actually improving health wise with her out of her mother's way. Growing frustrated that none of the job listings seemed promising, she groaned, "No. This is not going to work."

Jack walked by and caught on that Nicole was searching for a job by looking over her shoulder. "So, you've decided to stay in Salem. What made you decide to stay?"

Nicole dropped the paper on the table and looked up to Jack. "I don't really want to tell you," she said to avoid giving him any answers.

Jack put his hands up to signal no pressure. "That's fine with me. I can see that you're hunting for a job. It just so happens I am looking for an assistant _slash_ partner on my News TV gig."

Nicole suddenly became attentive towards Jack. Giving him an interested look, she asked, "Are you offering me a gig?"

"Why yes… yes I am," Jack said with a smile. He really liked Nicole and believed she had the personality he needed for his new projects.

Nicole stood up and offered her hand to Jack. "I'm game."

Jennifer walked up and noted Jack and Nicole were shaking hands. "What's going on here?"

Raising and lowering her shoulders with enthusiasm, Nicole informed Jen, "I'm going to sleuth around with Jackeroo over here."

"I always did work better with a partner," Jack commented with a smile of satisfaction.

Before Jennifer could say anything, Nicole's phone began to ring. Looking to see who was calling, Nicole put her finger up and said, "I need to take this, but I will be back to discuss salary and benefits. I know I shook your hand, but that was a test."

After Nicole walked off, Jennifer gave Jack a look of concern. "You and Nicole? Working together?"

Jack gave Jen a hesitant look. "I think we will make a great team. She has her connections, and I have mine. She's pretty good at getting to the bottom of things…"

Jennifer bit her tongue, grimaced, and decided to move on from the conversation. "Well, I hope it works out. How is therapy going?"

Jack looked the square over and felt an anxiety come over him. "I believe it's helping actually. I've made some changes in my life," he shared.

Jennifer gave Jack a smile. "I'm happy for you. I'm glad you have found someone who can help you with that because I really never could." Jen paused for a moment realizing she allowed her own hurt to come out subconsciously. "I'm sorry. That came out wrong," she argued knowing she only made things more awkward. Wanting to avoid saying anything else, she excused herself, "Take care."

Jack watched as Jennifer rushed off. He felt bad for all the times Jen saved him only to hurt her numerous times by walking out on her every single time. He was hopeful that therapy would help him change that. He really needed this change.


	40. Too Short

**2.40: Too Short**

_Friday, July 13th, 2012_

Lexie opened the front door of her home and smiled when she saw Will on the other side. "Will, come in. Theo and Johnny are grabbing a few toys from upstairs and should be down in a sec. I really appreciate you coming over and watching them while Abe and I go out to celebrate with the rest of Salem."

Will walked into the Carver home and looked around. "It's no problem. I like hanging out with my brother and his cousin." Turning to Lexie, he asked, "Is it true Abe is taking his place as mayor again tonight?"

Lexie suddenly became gleeful as she confirmed it. "Yes, he has finally agreed after some very long conversations about it."

Will found Lexie's excitement contagious and wondered if he would ever experience the loving relationship she shared with Abe. "I wish I could be there, but staying here with Theo and Johnny works out because I don't want to relive what happened six months ago."

Placing her arm on Will's hand, Lexie lamented, "Salem is safe again. I hope you know that."

Will smiled to ease the heaviness he allowed in the room. "It's okay – really. I've been going out with friends, so it's not like I've been cooped up this entire time."

Theo and Johnny slowly made their way down the stairs with a few toys. Spotting his brother, Johnny ran over and gave Will a hug as soon as he hit the bottom floor. "Will! Mom said you're coming!"

Will leaned down and grabbed Johnny's toy. "What do you have here?"

"I made some snacks for you guys to enjoy tonight. I'll grab them," Lexie said excusing herself to the kitchen.

Will walked over to the coffee table with Theo and Johnny. "Which one of these is your dream car for when you get older?"

Johnny and Theo pointed to the ones they liked the most. "What are we going to do tonight, Will?"

"We are going to have so much fun!" Will said with excitement. "There's going to be games, toys, movies, snacks, toys, movies…"

"You already said those," Theo pointed out.

Will smiled and nodded his head. "I did say those already. I'm just so excited!"

Johnny tapped Will's shoulder to get his attention. "What happened to Chad? I haven't seen him in a long time."

Will's smile disappeared, but he tried to remain positive with his brother. "I told you already about Chad. He had to take care of some things and moved away."

"Do you miss him?" Johnny followed up.

Before Will could respond, Theo suddenly spoke a word. "Death."

Will gave Theo a confused look. "What was that, buddy?"

Impatient, Johnny tapped Will on the shoulder. "Do you still miss Chad, Will?"

Lexie walked out before Will could answer. "I've got some healthy tasty snacks for everyone!" she declared.

Johnny and Theo jumped up forgetting the conversation they were having with Will. Lexie brought the snacks over to the coffee table as Will stood up to watch the boys munch on the snacks. "My mom tries to make these all the time," Johnny shared.

Lexie nodded at her nephew before leaning into Will. "I overheard Johnny's question about Chad. I know it may not seem like it, but Chad really does love you."

"I don't really want to hear it," Will admitted. It hurt too much to talk about Chad still. He had given up hope that Chad was ever going to come back – especially since EJ had given up on trying to find him.

Lexie sighed wishing she could help Will through this. She still didn't understand how Chad could stay away this long. "If you're ever interested to know what Chad was going through before he left, you might want to talk to my mom because Chad had many conversations with her about his feelings for you as well as some dreams he was having. She has been gone a lot, but I'll be sure to send her your way when she returns."

Even though Will didn't want to talk about this, he was intrigued with what Lexie had shared. He wondered if he should talk to Celeste. "Thanks."

Looking towards the stairs, Lexie commented, "I wonder what is taking Abe so long. I should check on him."

Will took a seat on the couch and pulled out his phone after Lexie headed up the stairs calling Abe's name. He looked through his photos and found some with Chad. He struggled because it had been some time since he allowed himself to look at Chad's face. He really did miss him, but he didn't want to feel that way anymore.

Going through his contacts, Will decided to give EJ one more call. When EJ picked up, Will spoke, "Sorry. I just wanted to check in to see if you've had any contact with Chad at all."

EJ, who was in the car with Sami, thought about his interactions with Chad. "I'm sorry, Will. I have not."

"Okay," Will let out defeated. "Thanks. I'll let you go." After hanging up the phone, Will looked through his phone and began to delete the photos of Chad. He believed Chad would have contacted him by now if he truly loved him. He couldn't do this anymore. Life was too short.

Will arrived to his last picture of Chad, but his thumb stopped before pushing the delete button. It was a picture that meant a great deal to him and he couldn't get rid of it. "Just one is fine. I can keep one," Will thought in his head.

Suddenly hearing Lexie's voice, Will's ears perked up. There was something in her tone that caused him to panic. Standing up, he looked at the boys. "You guys stay here and enjoy the snacks and your toys. I'll be right back."

Will headed up the stairs and met Lexie halfway. He noted the look of fear in Lexie's eyes. "What's going on?" he whispered.

Lexie whispered back, "I just called 911. I need you to take the boys into the kitchen, so they don't know what's going on."

Will knew something was wrong with Abe, but he knew he didn't have time to ask Lexie for details just yet because she needed to get back to him upstairs. "Okay."

Both Lexie and Will turned to Theo, who was playing cars with Johnny. Johnny tried to get him to race cars with him, but Theo was focused on repeating the same pattern over and over again while continually whispering something under his breath.


	41. Growing Closer

**2.41: Growing Closer**

_Thursday, July 25th, 2012_

After checking the time, Dario placed his phone in his pocket and leaned against the wall of the Salem Place movie theater. Crossing his arms, he turned to Ignazio and couldn't help but smile at him because Ignazio couldn't stop pacing. Dario thought back to the night before when Ignazio actually admitted to him that he really liked Chelsea and didn't know what to do about it. Dario tried to talk him through it, but Ignazio quickly became frustrated and shut down.

Ignazio stopped pacing and looked at the time. Pulling out the tickets, he turned to Dario and said, "_The Dark Knight Rises_ will begin soon, and I have seen no signs of Chelsea."

Dario pulled himself off the wall and watched his brother for a moment before pointing out, "I can tell you're really nervous."

Ignazio tried to play it off by shrugging his shoulders. He knew Dario was thinking about what he shared the night before and wished he didn't admit to his feelings for Chelsea. With a small quiver in his voice, Ignazio adamantly stated, "I have no reason to be nervous."

Dario hoped to encourage his brother to be more open with him by saying, "I have to admit I am excited for you. I commend you for finally following through on what you want – or should I say who you want."

Ignazio rubbed his hands together and looked around the theater for Chelsea. Realizing Dario was still watching him, he joined his brother and leaned against the wall to rest his body. Even with his attempt to control his restlessness, his heart began to beat faster. He did not enjoy the vulnerability. He didn't like his lack of control.

Realizing his presence could be a hindrance to his brother, Dario rubbed Ignazio's left shoulder to help calm him down. He offered, "I can leave, so you and Chelsea can go to the movie alone."

Ignazio stopped Dario from rubbing his shoulder as it only made him feel more tense. "No, I am not ready for that," he admitted. He wasn't ready because he feared his connection with Chelsea and believed his lack of control would only worsen if his brother left. The possibility of this blowing up in his face also weighed heavily in his mind.

Dario thought he should give his brother an extra push to stop following his fear. "Well, I don't want to be a third wheel."

Ignazio still didn't budge and wanted his brother to drop the idea. "This is not a date," he clarified to get Dario to stop pushing. Wanting to turn the conversation onto Dario, he added, "We are going to this movie as friends, but if you want me to find you another girl to join us then I am sure I can find someone for you."

"I'm not interested," Dario quickly replied.

Frustrated, Ignazio asked, "Because of Sonny? I…" He stopped in his tracks and backpedaled. "I should not have mentioned Sonny. I apologize."

Dario lifted his hands up wanting to avoid an argument with Ignazio because the last thing he wanted was to ruin the night for him. "Look, I know you don't want to talk about Sonny and avoid even mentioning him like the plague, but there's no need to worry about your slip because I don't really want to talk about him either. Life has moved on."

Ignazio's nerves turned to Dario as he questioned if Dario had truly moved on. Dario never talked about being interested in anyone else, so he wondered if he had missed something. Biting his tongue, he chose not to respond.

Fortunately for Dario and Ignazio, Chelsea finally arrived. "Hey boys. I promised my sister I'd help her with something before I headed out, but I'm here now." Giving the guys a hug, she exclaimed, "I am really excited to see the last batman movie."

Dario smiled with excitement as well. "I am glad we decided to wait a week to see it because there's no line to get in."

Turning the conversation to Ignazio, Chelsea asked, "Ignazio, did you ever get to see the other two before tonight?"

Ignazio patted Dario on the back as he shared, "I watched them with Dario today. I am really excited to see it, which is strange because I hardly enjoyed movies as a child."

Chelsea was feeling extra flirtatious and grabbed Ignazio's hand. "Well, we'll just have to play catch up on the best movies of all time together."

"That sounds like a great idea," Ignazio let out with a big smile. He couldn't believe he was holding Chelsea's hand and tried not to make a big deal of it.

Wanting to give Chelsea and Ignazio some alone time, Dario directed them, "You two can go in and find some seats. I'll grab popcorn and drinks. What do you two want?"

"I want a cherry coke," Chelsea said.

Ignazio decided on the same.

After Ignazio and Chelsea walked off into the theater, Dario headed to the concession stand to order and reflected on the conversation he had with Ignazio before Chelsea arrived. Even though he had told his brother he had moved on from Sonny, Sonny still remained in his mind. Watching the batman movies with Ignazio earlier reminded him of when he and Sonny watched the Harry Potter movies together the summer before. They didn't get to watch the final movie together.

Even with remembering the good times with Sonny, Dario realized how he seemed content with his life now. He thought not being with Sonny would completely destroy him and never thought he would be able to function without his mother or Sonny. Everything was different. He had found life without them and Ignazio played a big part in that. Even with the realization, Dario knew he couldn't count on his brother or family to fill his heart forever. He wondered if he would find someone to give his heart – someone who actually wanted it.


	42. Across the Hall, Part 2

**2.42: Across the Hall, Part 2**

_Saturday, July 28th, 2012_

Wrapping a towel around the lower half of his body, Will exited the bathroom of his apartment after taking a shower and headed for the living room to talk to Sonny. "You have to go tonight with me to make sure I don't get attacked."

Sonny didn't bother looking at Will and continued to focus on the Xbox game he was playing. "I'm sure Kai and Brett will take good care of you. If you're so worried, maybe you should just not go like you didn't go to the last two Friday the thirteenth events."

Will grabbed the back of his neck and persisted, "I really want you to go with me because I trust you, Sonny. I sort of trust Kai and Brett I guess, but you have to go."

Frustrated that Will was distracting him from his game, Sonny pushed pause and clearly annoyed, suggested, "Maybe you should call up some of your frat brothers to go with you if you're set on going tonight. They're so supportive, right?"

Will continued to rub the back of his neck and finally took note of Sonny's hostility. He wondered if Sonny felt left out and replaced. "Most of the guys are gone for the summer, but I thought we were cool. You're rushing in the fall to be a part of the frat, right?"

"I'm not so sure," Sonny said shaking his head.

Will was about to take a seat next to Sonny, but there was a knock on the door. "I wonder who that could be." Heading to the door, Will opened it to find Ezra on the other side. "Ezra, what are you doing here? Are you back from your graduation trip?"

Sonny stood up from the couch and joined the two. He wasn't so pleased to see Will's new bff back in town. "Were you in the neighborhood or something to stop by this late?"

Ezra smiled at Will and Sonny and left them hanging in suspense for a while before announcing, "I moved into my new apartment today – across the hall."

"That's awesome. I had no idea the apartment across from us was up for lease," Will commented.

Sonny cut in with less enthusiasm, "So Will told me you traveled around Europe for graduation. Are you back in Salem for good?"

Ezra nodded his head. "Yeah, I had a lot of fun, but now it's time to prepare for grad school. We'll be seeing each other more consistently now," he shared. Noting Will was in his towel, he asked, "Is there a reason you answered the door half-naked?"

Will looked down and showed on his face that he forgot he was only in a towel. Adjusting it, he said, "Oh yeah. I'm in the process of getting ready for tonight. Brett and Kai are dragging me out to the gay bars for my first time. I'm trying to convince Sonny to go with, but he's not having it."

Ezra turned to Sonny and gave him a questioning look. "Why not? You should go, Sonny. I would go just for the fun of it. I've never been."

"You should go then," Will said with a hopeful smile.

Sonny watched as Ezra agreed. He looked at the Xbox for a second before saying, "I guess I'll go, too."

Later that night, Will, Sonny, Ezra, Kai, and Brett arrived at Beefcakes. Will was extremely nervous as they walked into the entrance. "I don't know if I can do this," he claimed under his breath.

Placing his hand on Will's shoulder, Ezra pulled his mouth to Will's ear. "If you're creeped out by any guy, give me a signal, and I'll pretend to be your boyfriend."

Will smiled at Ezra with gratitude. "Thanks. That actually makes me feel a lot less nervous."

After entering the club, Kai looked at Brett with an annoyed look. "I didn't expect Sonny to come and now Ezra is here, too."

Brett wasn't pleased either. "We need to get rid of the extra weight," he declared before grabbing Will's hand. "Come on, Will. Let's head to the dance floor and have fun."

Will gave Brett and Kai a nervous smile. "Okay," he said while sighing and followed Kai and Brett to the dance floor leaving Sonny and Ezra alone.

Ezra looked the club over and noted aloud, "It's very colorful and flamboyant in here. Is that what all gay life is like?"

Sonny rolled his eyes. "Not completely." He watched as Brett and Kai danced with Will and shook his head. He couldn't believe they were here.

Ezra noticed Sonny did not seem pleased in any way. He decided to apologize. "I shouldn't have asked that question. It was really ignorant of me to suggest that all gay people are flamboyant and colorful. You and Horton don't really fit that description."

Ezra's apology really surprised Sonny and helped him see that his mood was quite obvious. Softening his tone so he didn't bring everyone else down, he explained, "Gay clubs and I really don't mix. I don't fit the mold of what clubs usually represent. I tried gay clubs before with my ex, but I never really enjoyed it."

"Are you talking about Dario?" Ezra asked intrigued by Sonny's opening up to him. Noting the look of confusion on Sonny's face, he shared, "Horton has told me some about you and Dario."

Sonny felt upset that Will actually talked to Ezra about his love life, but he managed to keep his anger in control. Keeping it cool, he answered, "No, Dario and I never actually dated. The ex I went to clubs with was this guy named Matthieu, but that was forever ago."

Ezra nodded his head and gave Sonny a sad look. "You really haven't had it easy with love either. You seem like a good guy with what Horton has said about you. I know he really wants you in Kappa. I think you'd make a great addition to the frat."

Sonny was surprised by Ezra's thoughts on him but chose not to respond because he wasn't sure if he wanted to rush even if Will really wanted him to. He turned his gaze onto the dance floor and couldn't help but note Ezra's charm. There was something addicting about it.

Ezra turned his eyes to the dance floor as well and began to laugh. Pointing to Will, Kai, and Brett, he commented, "It looks like Horton is actually having a good time out there. He's so great."

"Yeah, he is," Sonny nodded his head as he watched Will dance with Kai and Brett. He tried to be happy for Will, but he couldn't. All he could do was cringe inside because he felt like he was losing Will more every day.


	43. Leaving Salem

**2.43: Leaving Salem**

_Sunday, July 29th, 2012_

After talking to Lexie and Jennifer one last time at the hospital, Daniel arrived at the Horton Town Square to meet with his godfather. Victor had told him that he had a meeting in the square and could talk to him prior to his meeting. Daniel rushed over and found Victor and Brady sitting at a table. After catching his breath, he said, "Thank you for meeting me so last minute. I have a plane to catch, but I wanted to be sure to talk to you before I left."

Brady was curious and had no idea why Daniel needed to catch a flight and where he was headed. "What's going on?"

Ignoring Brady's question for a moment, Daniel rested his hands on the table and leaned forward towards his godfather. "Victor, I need you to keep an eye on Melanie for me while I'm away." Turning to Brady, he explained, "I am off searching for any kind of research to help Abe. His health is declining and doesn't show signs of stopping. I believe an old colleague will be able to help me figure something out."

Victor was fully aware of Daniel's plan to help Abe, but he still questioned his godson's request. "Why are you asking me to keep an eye on Melanie, when Nathan, her husband, is fully capable of doing so?"

Daniel let out a slight groan because he didn't want to argue about anything because he didn't have time to hash out everything with Victor. "I am only taking extra precautions here to be safe."

Brady gave Daniel a concerned look and questioned, "Are things that serious with Abe?"

Daniel nodded his head with a look of fear in his eyes. "Yes," he confirmed verbally. "Hopefully, I can come back to Salem with answers in the next week or so. There's so much uncertainty, but I have to do this for Lexie."

Victor nodded his head to commend Daniel for doing this. "I really hope you find the answers you are seeking. I will keep an eye out for Melanie."

Brady echoed Victor's sentiment. "Good luck, man. Don't do anything dangerous."

"I won't," Daniel said. "I should go. Thanks for taking care of Melanie for me, and please keep her your top priority."

Brady watched Daniel rush off before he turned to his grandfather. "Is it just me or does it seem like something else is going on?"

Victor nodded his head. "It's not just you. I wonder what colleague he is meeting with. I wonder what he told Lexie and Jen he was doing."

Brady looked at his cell phone for the time and suggested, "Maybe we should cancel our meeting with Kai, and head to the hospital to visit with Lexie."

"We can't cancel this meeting," Victor maintained. "It won't take much time, but we have to meet with Kai today to make sure his internship at Salem University Hospital is going well." Looking at his watch, he noted, "Kai should be here soon enough."

After some time, Kai arrived to the square. When he spotted Victor and Brady at the table, he walked a bit faster towards them. "I apologize for making you wait," he said as he took a seat.

Victor skipped the formalities and went straight to business. "I am interested to hear your thoughts on your internship. I hope the experience has been beneficial to you and the hospital."

To relieve the coldness of the conversation, Brady quipped, "We met someone else here before our appointment, so there's no need to apologize."

Kai froze for a moment because he wasn't sure who to respond to first. He smiled at Brady before turning to Victor to reply. "The internship is going well, Mr. Kiriakis. It has been beneficial for me in that I have learned a lot more with seeing how everything works first-hand. I know my place at the hospital, so I believe my presence there has not been detrimental to the hospital."

Victor watched Kai for a moment before sharing with a lighter tone, "I've heard you are impressing the surgeons there. I asked you to meet today because I would like to extend your internship at the hospital for another year. Are you interested in staying on?"

Kai became excited at the prospect. "Of course. I really appreciate you helping me – the both of you. It means a lot."

Victor finally let out a smile, but it soon disappeared when Nicole approached them. Nicole wrapped her arms across her chest as she tried to remain civil for Brady's sake. "It's a good day in Salem. Am I interrupting an important Titan meeting?"

Before Brady could say anything, Victor quickly cut in, "Why haven't you left Salem yet, Nicole?"

Nicole rolled her eyes before losing some control of her tongue. "You must be losing your touch, Vic. I now have a job here. Haven't you heard about my latest conquest to take over Salem?"

"Does it have something to do with your campaign in becoming the Salem MILF of the year? You are aware you actually need to be able to have children to do that, right?" Victor retorted.

With all of her strength, Nicole forced a smile and turned her attention to Brady. She really didn't want to show how much Victor's comment hurt her. "How about I just talk to you and pretend no one else is here?"

Kai wanted to laugh a few times, but refrained. He wondered why Victor hated Nicole so much and questioned why Nicole was rude to him when he didn't even know her. She had no reason to ignore him. Looking over to Brady, he sensed how uncomfortable he felt.

Victor had enough of Nicole so he informed her, "We are having a meeting here, and you haven't been the Titan slut for quite some time. Please remove yourself and find someone else to share your venereal diseases with."

Nicole gave Brady an annoyed look because he didn't stand up for her. "I'll see you later Brady – maybe."

As soon as Nicole walked off, Brady finally said something. "Was that really necessary?"

Victor gave his grandson a stern look. "Of course it was. Give Nicole an inch and she'll stick around like a vulture on a carcass. I don't understand how you can stomach being around the woman after everything she has done."

Kai watched as Brady and Victor went back and forth for a while. He felt extremely uncomfortable and wondered what history Nicole had with Brady and Victor. She really didn't seem like a nice person.


	44. Salem U News

**2.44: Salem U News**

_Monday, July 30th, 2012_

Abigail arrived in the Salem U Newspaper office for a meeting. She had received an email from one of her future grad professors asking her to meet there to discuss her internship over the next few years in grad school. She was excited and felt a bit overwhelmed at the same time. When she walked in, she found Ezra seated in the waiting area. "Ezra, I guess I shouldn't be surprised to see you here."

Ezra lit up when he saw Abigail. "You decided on journalism? I thought you were going a different route?"

Abigail smiled and sat next to Ezra. "Well, things are different now. I hope you're not afraid of a little competition."

A man, who was sitting behind one of the front desks, came over and introduced himself. "I am Mr. Poole, Professor Steele's assistant, and she asked me to give this to you." After handing Ezra and Abigail a large manila envelope, he continued, "You are to look the contents of this envelope over together first and then if you have any questions, you must set up an appointment with Professor Steele through me. By the way, she is booked for the day. Welcome to Salem U News."

Ezra and Abigail gave each other a confused look. Ezra decided not to waste any time and opened the envelope to reveal its contents. "I guess this is a big welcome to the real world."

Abigail took the top sheet to look it over. As she read through it, she summarized what she was reading. "It looks like we're working together on a special column for the Salem U newspaper."

Ezra looked through the other papers and tried to figure out anything else. "It appears we're in charge of informing the student body on the different sides on current political and social issues. This is awesome. We're going to be working together, but at the same time working against each other."

Abigail gave Ezra a smile as she confirmed it. "Yep. It's all in this letter."

Ezra looked around the office and suggested, "How about we get out of here and grab a bite together while we talk about everything? You free?"

Abigail nodded her head. "Yeah, I have some free time considering I thought I was coming in for a meeting or something. Let's go to the Brady Pub."

"Sounds great." Ezra helped Abigail put the stuff in the envelope. "You can ride with me and I'll drop you back off here if you want."

Abigail nodded and agreed. She let Ezra lead the way to his car, but a sudden nervousness came over her. Reminiscing on what she knew of her parents' history in working together at the Salem Spectator, she wondered if the same thing was happening with her and Ezra. Shaking her head, she told herself to stop reading too much into everything because she had control of her own life – at least she hoped she did.


	45. Anniversary

**2.45: Anniversary**

_Monday, July 30th, 2012_

EJ looked across the table to his beautiful wife and couldn't help but smile wildly at her. He wanted to spoil her rotten and dinner at Chez Rouge was only their first stop for the evening. Taking Sami's hand, he kissed it before saying, "Happy Anniversary, Samantha. I don't think I can say it enough."

Sami blushed as she allowed her hand to linger in EJ's hand. "Happy Anniversary. I keep having to pinch myself because I never thought I would be this happy." Looking down at the table, Sami reflected on everything they had been through over the last year alone. "You are my rock, EJ. I don't know what I would do without you. We made it through this year, and I hope we never stop fighting for each other."

EJ lifted Sami's head, so she would look at him. "I won't ever stop fighting, Samantha. I don't plan on ever letting you go."

Sami gave EJ an earnest look because she really wanted to believe him. "I don't want you to either."

EJ sensed doubt in Sami and asked, "What are you wanting to say? We can be honest, right?"

Sami glanced down for a moment to collect her thoughts. Looking up again, she started, "I hope we can be honest, EJ. You've been keeping a lot of secrets – or – at least it seems that way to me."

EJ took a deep breath before responding. "I know it seems that way, but Samantha, you have nothing to worry about. I've been thinking a lot about everything – that is all."

"Like what?"

EJ brought Sami's hand to his lips once again. "Well, for one, everything that's happening to my sister and Abe has complicated things. I hate to say it out loud though because I know Alexandra is hurting so much again. I'm not interested in being mayor because it's a lot of work, and it keeps me away from you and our children."

Sami gave EJ a look of sympathy. "I know this has to be hard in so many way. Everything was looking great for Abe, but now this is happening. I can't believe Colin hasn't been any help either." Digressing, Sami returned the focus on EJ and his thoughts. "Tell me what you're thinking of doing? Does this have anything to do with Stefano?"

EJ didn't want to talk about Stefano, and it showed. He let go of Sami's hand, so he could lean back in his chair. "Samantha…" he let out as he looked around Chez Rouge. While he did, he spotted Brandon and Nicole entering the restaurant. Leaning back in toward Sami, he commented, "Have you had any run-ins with Brandon since he's been back in town?"

Sami gave EJ a confused look. "I've run into him a few times, but I don't know why you're asking."

EJ wanted to avoid talking about his father and chose to keep the conversation on Brandon. "I'm only curious. Has anything come up between you? I know there is history there."

Sami quickly became offended. "Did you really just ask me that? I thought we were celebrating our anniversary, and now you're asking me if Brandon and I had some sort of reconnection. Maybe we don't have a reason to celebrate anymore."

EJ sighed and grabbed Sami's hand again. "Samantha, I am sorry I asked that idiotic question."

Sami made sure to give EJ a look to let him know she couldn't easily be pulled back in. "Idiotic is putting it lightly," she argued.

EJ gave Sami a smile as he pulled her hand back to his lips. "Okay. It was the most reckless and moronic thing I could have done. I am sorry nevertheless, and I hope we can focus on what is most important here – us. I love you, Samantha, and I'd like to take this night and focus on that. You are the one of the consistently positive aspects of my life."

Sami still remained somewhat distant to make sure she understood EJ. "So you want to forget about what's stressing you out. I understand that, but you had no reason to bring up Brandon if that's what you want to do tonight." Finally giving in, she added, "I'm sorry for making you think about your worries when there shouldn't be any when you're with me."

EJ moved his chair closer to Sami, so he could hold her for a moment. "I don't want you to carry that burden, Samantha. I want everything from you, and I don't want you to hold back because every part of you excites me."

Sami leaned her head against EJ's and smiled. "EJ, everything is going to work out. We can focus on what's happening with the family and the business another time. I just want you to know we're in this together."

"I know," EJ spoke softly. "I love you, darling."

"I love you," Sami echoed as she placed her hand on EJ's chest. Reflecting on their wedding a year before, she began to think about her oldest son. "I wonder if Will is doing alright tonight."

EJ slightly removed his head from his wife's. "Why are you thinking about Will?"

Sami grabbed EJ's hand and explained, "Last year, Will told me that he admitted his feelings to Chad for the first time the night of our wedding. I wonder if he's thinking about Chad now because of that."

Noting the concern in Sami's disposition, EJ calmly countered, "Will has been able to move forward."

"I'm not so sure," Sami claimed before adding, "I know Will still has it bad for Chad even if he talks about him less. Have year heard anything else from your brother?"

EJ shook his head as disappointment filled him. "No," he shared. "I've tried to call numerous times – especially with what is going on with Alexandra – but he has disabled his voicemail and text messaging. He's made it clear he wants no form of contact and that his decision to leave us is final." Kissing the side of Sami's head, EJ lamented, "I feel horrible for William."

With a deep sigh, Sami said, "I want Will to be as happy as us one day. I know he will find love because he's such an amazing man. I don't know how he managed to be so great when I failed him so many times."

"You did your best with Will, and I think he will be happy one day," EJ agreed, but then changed his tone. "I hate to be selfish, but I'd like to return the focus of tonight back to us."

Sami separated herself from EJ to give him a funny look. "You hate being selfish?" she threw right back at him in a joking manner.

EJ playfully shrugged his shoulders. "I can't help it," he said with a smile.

Before EJ could say anything else, Sami pushed herself onto him and gave him a passionate kiss.


	46. In Need of A Messenger

**2.46: In Need of A Messenger**

_Sunday, August 5th, 2012_

Maddalena slapped her left hand against her desk in her office. She was clearly frustrated because she had no way of contacting Colin. She desperately needed to converse with Colin concerning the current family events to make sure her next move was beneficial to everyone she cared about. Reminding herself that Colin had set a plan in motion, she wondered how long it would be before the Bradys tried to help him get released. She hoped it would be soon.

Rubbing her face with her right hand, Maddalena thought about Lexie and Abe. She couldn't believe Abe was back in the hospital and things weren't looking well for him. This was not part of the original plan, and even though she really didn't care for Abe and Lexie's relationship, she knew Lexie needed him for the time being to be productive to the family.

Returning her thoughts on Colin, Maddalena wondered if there was a way for him to help Abe recover without it hurting his chances of release. She was fully aware of the fact that Colin was approached in helping Abe after he collapsed in July and purposely played dumb so he could convince the Bradys of his innocence. Things were quite complicated, and she had to put her plan to pin everything on Victor Kiriakis on hold for the moment.

Azzura walked into the office. "Signora, you called for me?"

"I need some assistance," Maddalena began. "I need to contact Colin without it appearing on anyone's radar. I know the police and hospital are in communication with him, so we must be extra cautious."

Azzura pulled her phone out and began to look through her contacts. "I will work and find a way for you to contact him," she claimed before asking, "Is there anything else I can do for you?"

Maddalena looked to Azzura and noticed there was something off about her. "That is all for now. Please be sure to take care of yourself. I need you at your best."

Azzura nodded her head and bowed before heading out of the room. As she made her way down the stairs, she decided to take Maddalena up on her suggestion in taking care of herself. She needed a break from all the work of the house and knew exactly what she needed to give herself a boost. Dialing Marco's number, she waited for him to answer.

Marco, who had just finished walking the perimeter of the Dimera mansion, picked up. "Azzura. It's been a long time."

Azzura was glad Marco answered because she was feeling really lonely. "Are you interested in meeting? We could finally have some fun together."

Marco questioned Azzura's motives. "What is with the sudden interest?"

"I have an itch," Azzura admitted. "I am sure you have one as well."

Marco took a moment as he reflected on how things ended with Arianna. She had avoided him since her mother's funeral, so he figured it was never going to happen. "Fine. I'll meet you, but you have to let me decide where."

Azzura was pleased with herself. "I like a man who takes control."


	47. Holding My Last Breath, Part 2

**2.47: Holding My Last Breath, Part 2**

_Tuesday, August 21st, 2012_

"Abe," Lexie let out softly as she wiped the tears falling slowly down her face. "We need you to open your eyes, honey. Everyone is here." Glancing at everyone in the room, she continued, "Our son is here, Abe. Roman, Bo, Hope, Sami, Will, and EJ are also here for you. Brandon had to check on Fay, and is now on his way back to Salem. He'll be back as soon as he can. Please open your eyes, so we can talk to you."

EJ squeezed his sister's shoulder as she continued to squeeze Abe's hand. He hated that this was happening to his sister and nephew, but he wanted to be the rock for Lexie. He wanted to help her through this because she was all he had left in their immediate family. "He'll wake up, Alexandra. He can hear you. I know he can."

Sami held onto Will as she watched in deep and dark sadness because this was it. Her Uncle Abe was dying, and there was nothing the doctors could do about it. A fear came over her as the possibility that Will could be in the hospital like this one day popped in her head. A solution of some sort had been used on Will after his attack on the pier just as one had been used on Abe while he was missing earlier in the year. Looking into her son's eyes, she mouthed, "Are you okay?"

Will nodded his head as Nathan and Maxine walked in. Attempting not to grab Lexie's attention away from Abe, he whispered, "I don't know how Lexie can go through this all over again." He knew in his heart that Abe, Lexie, Theo, and Brandon didn't deserve this because they were such good people.

As Nathan and Maxine checked on Abe's vitals, Roman let out a sigh of sorrow. Turning his head towards his brother and Hope, he let out, "Where the hell is Daniel Jonas? He said he would come back with answers."

Bo shrugged his shoulders while keeping his eyes focused on Abe. "I don't think anyone has heard from him in a while. He hasn't contacted anyone with updates."

Hope looked out the window and spotted Jennifer standing outside praying with a few others. "Jen said she has tried multiple times to reach him, but she's come up with nothing. I'm starting to worry something may have happened to him."

"Daddy!" Theo exclaimed.

Lexie smiled when she saw Abe's eyes open. Her tears fell down her face and onto his. "There you are. We're here, Abe. We're here for you."

Nathan stepped back and gave Maxine a look of grave sorrow. They both knew Abe didn't have much longer and were surprised he woke up at all. Turning to EJ, Nathan gave him the same look to signal there was nothing left to do.

EJ continued to hold Lexie's shoulders hoping he could channel some strength to her. Even though he knew she was aware of Abe's limited time with them, he didn't want her to be surprised if Abe suddenly passed. "I'm afraid this is it, Alexandra."

Lexie pulled away from EJ because she didn't want to hear it even though she knew he was right. Focusing on her husband, she gently asked, "Abe, can you hear me?"

Abe turned to face Lexie and gave her a smile. "Lexie, my love. It's so good to see your face one last time. I believe this is it, but it's not forever – remember that, Lexie. I'm not afraid. God is in control."

Lexie hated having to hear Abe talk like this. Her tears increased as she appealed, "You don't have to be strong, Abe. I can do that for you."

Abe grabbed Lexie's hand and pulled it close to his heart while grabbing Theo's with his other hand. With a dark grunting tone, he shared, "You are already so strong, and I know I shouldn't worry, but I want you and Theo to live your lives. I can't stay long, so please hear me. Don't give up. Make sure you tell Brandon, Jonah, Karen, and the others as well."

Roman stepped forward to give Abe some hope and peace. "We will make sure your family is well taken care of, Abe. You can count on all of us to be there."

Lexie gave Abe a hesitant look because she had a question she didn't want to ask. As tears flowed down her face, she finally opened her mouth to ask, "Are you ready for this, Abe? Do you really have to leave us so soon?"

Abe gave Lexie a comforting look. "I wish I could stay Lexie, but I know it's time. I remember when my mother died. She knew it was time and was at peace with it. I want to go out the same way, but it's so very… HARD." Abe groaned thinking this would be the last time he would look in Lexie's eyes like this. Water formed in his eyes as he internally battled with himself to think positively. He wanted to do so at least for his wife and youngest son. Tears fell from his eyes finally as he continued, "I'm going to a better place, but I want you to know that I will always be with you, Theo, Brandon, and the rest of the family. Death cannot separate us. It will reunite us. One day, we will all be reunited, but until then I will be waiting for you." Abe looked at everyone in the room, "All of you."

Not a dry eye was found in the hospital room after Abe's speech. Lexie's tears flowed heavily as she tried to take in everything Abe said to her. Noting that his breathing seemed more difficult and less consistent, Lexie rubbed his chest saying, "Oh, my sweet Abe. Theo and I will be okay. Please be at peace. Focus on our love. I love you so much, and I will never stop talking to you until we are reunited."

Abe's eyes wandered around the room so he could take everything in one last time. He knew that when he closed his eyes, he'd disappear from this world and from everyone he held dear to his heart. Looking at the tears in everyone's eyes, he desperately hoped he was able to assure them that everything would be okay. "I love you all."

Turning to Theo, Abe smiled as he ran his hands through his youngest son's hair. He said with great joy in his eyes, "I love you, my boy. Be good for your mother."

"I love you, daddy," Theo let out with some distance in his voice.

Abe turned to Lexie with great love and tears of peace and inhaled for the last time. With his last breath, he exhaled, "I love you, my sweet Lexie."

Lexie leaned her head against Abe's chest and began to sob uncontrollably. She saw him leave his body through his eyes and she couldn't even bare to keep her eyes open any longer. Hope quickly made her way over and kneeled down next to her to help comfort her.

EJ stepped back as he watched his sister fall apart. It took all of his strength not to fall apart with her. Looking to his nephew, he wondered if Theo should be in the room with his now deceased father. Thoughts of Stefano entered his mind.

Sami couldn't take it anymore and let go of Will. "I need some air," she admitted after taking a deep breath.

Will couldn't handle seeing Lexie fall apart either. "I'll go with you."

After Sami and Will walked out, Bo and Roman shook their heads and dried their tears from their faces. "I can't believe my best partner is gone. Whoever did this to him is going to pay."

EJ caught Bo and Roman giving him dirty looks and held his tongue because this was not the place. Turning to Maxine and Nathan, he said, "Is there anything I can do to help my sister? I can sign whatever needs to be signed."

Maxine shook her head. "We've got everything covered at the moment." Turning to Theo, she offered, "I can take Theo to grab a drink or something."

Lexie stopped herself from sobbing to shake her head in agreement. Before Theo left though, Lexie made sure to give her son a kiss. "Mommy, will be out there shortly, okay?"

Theo nodded his head and walked out with Maxine and Nathan. Bo and Roman decided to leave as well.

Hope turned to EJ giving him a nod. "I'll stay with Lexie and…"

EJ knew what Hope was going to say and interrupted her by giving her a nod in return. He walked out of the room, so he could find Sami to talk to her about what just happened. Finding her near the elevator door, he wrapped his arms around her waist and asked, "Where is William? I thought he was with you."

Sami leaned into EJ. "I left him on the balcony. I came back over because I wanted to tell you I'm heading to the pub to talk to my grandmother about setting up some meals for Lexie and Theo. Are you going to stay here with your sister?"

EJ nodded his head. "It's for the best," he stated before kissing Sami on the forehead. He hoped he could help his sister through this. "I'll call you."

Sami gave EJ a longing kiss before heading off into the elevator.

EJ pulled out his phone knowing he would have to make some calls for his sister on the passing of Abe. He thought about Chad and remembered how his brother disabled his voicemail and text messages on his phone. He was certain Chad had ignored the letter he had left behind on the bookcase. Deciding he needed to give Chad one last chance, he declared to himself, "I'm going to call our dear brother and make him come home." After dialing Chad's phone number, he put his phone to his ear.

The phone rang several times before voicemail actually picked up. Surprised to hear the automated voice, EJ decided to leave Chad a voicemail demanding for him to come home as soon as possible. After the beep, he opened his mouth to speak, "Ch…"

"EJ, have you seen my mom?" Will called out from behind. He didn't see that EJ was trying to make a call.

EJ quickly hung up his phone and placed it in his pocket before turning around. "She went to the pub," he answered. He was glad Will didn't hear him trying to talk to Chad. "Did you need to talk to her about something?"

Will looked up to EJ. He was filled with so many questions from what he just experienced. "It's so surreal standing there and listening to someone talk one minute, and then they're just gone. How does that happen? Where do people go when they're gone like that?"

EJ scratched the back of his head trying to figure out what to say to Will. "I'm not sure," he answered honestly.

Will looked ahead of him in a daze. "Do you think there's any truth in what Abe said in there? I've been to church with my great-grandma, but I never really believed in all of that. Do you think there is such a thing as heaven, and how do you know if you're good enough to go?"

EJ smiled at Will and placed his right hand on Will's shoulder. "Will, if there is a heaven, I know you will go. You're a better man than most people in this world. Don't let anyone tell you any different."

Will appreciated EJ for saying that and reflected on the many times Ezra told him the same thing. Even though Ezra had helped him gain more confidence and perspective, watching Abe die in front of Lexie had a strong effect on him. "Thanks," he let out trying to escape the many questions running through his mind.


	48. Abraham Washington Carver

**2.48: Abraham Washington Carver**

_Sunday, August 26th, 2012_

At Salem Boulevard Baptist Church, EJ found Lexie standing in the back foyer alone. Slowly pacing towards her, he gently questioned, "Alexandra, what are you doing out here by yourself?"

Lexie shifted her body when she heard her brother's voice so that she only looked to one wall. She was trying to hide because she wasn't ready to start the funeral and figured she could be honest with her brother about it. "I'm trying to hold myself together, so I can make it through Abe's funeral. I think I could lose my mind in there because I'm not ready for this goodbye, EJ. I don't think I can be as strong without Abe by my side."

EJ carefully moved closer to his sister and slowly pulled her into a hug. "I will be by your side through everything. If you feel like you're losing your mind, you can come to me, Alexandra." Turning his sister around, he made her look in his eyes. "I'm serious. Yell at me – beat me up – I don't care. Whatever you need to collect yourself or pull yourself together, come to me."

Lexie tried to give her brother a look of appreciation, but the sadness was too much for her. It took all her strength to keep her legs straight so she could stand. "I still can't believe this is it. I found Abe in father's basement because I refused to accept Abe was dead, but now I have to because I saw it happen in front of my face. I've lost him before, but this time it's real. There is no drug to make it look like he's dead." Lexie held onto EJ tight because she felt like her mind was slipping. "I don't know if I can do this. I don't know if I can go in there."

EJ couldn't believe Abe had died after Lexie worked so hard to get him back. Even if she was wrong about their father, her instincts on Abe's being alive after his attack were right. He believed her instincts about Abe being gone forever were correct this time as well. "Lexie, if you can't go in there, it will be okay. We can just stand here during the services."

Lexie finally peered into the sanctuary and spotted Brandon with Theo. Her mind went somewhere else before she could respond to EJ's suggestion. "Abe, Theo, and I actually started coming here again when Abe was well enough. Abe said it felt good to return to his mother's church because it brought things full circle for him. This is where he learned to be such a good man, and I think I want the same for Theo. I think Abe would want his son to grow up here." Pulling away from EJ, she wiped her face and was now ready to respond to her brother. "Thanks for trying to help me, but I have to go in there. I have to do this for Theo. He needs me, and I can't shut him out."

EJ nodded his head and noted the look of great loss remained in Lexie's eyes. "I'll help you to your seat then."

After EJ led Lexie to the front, she took a seat between Brandon and Theo. She looked around the room and spotted her mother seated by herself in one of the back pews. She couldn't believe Celeste had stayed away this long and showed her face after Abe had already died. Turning forward she nodded her head to Pastor Carlson to signal she was ready for the services to begin.

The funeral started soon after. Pastor Carlson said a prayer before Brandon walked up to read a scripture. "Philippians 1:21-23: For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better." Taking a moment for himself so he could reflect on his father, Brandon took a deep breath before rejoining Lexie and Theo on the front pew.

Roman stood up and adjusted his suit jacket before heading up the stage. He cleared his throat so he could say a few words about his dear friend, Abe. "I have known Abe for many years, but Salem has been his home longer than it has been mine. I'm sure everyone knows here just how good of a man Abe was because that was always his main priority. He wanted a better life for everyone. He wanted to clean the streets and that's exactly what he did ever since he joined the police force. Along the way, he has had my back, and I've had his. This world has lost a great man, and he will be greatly missed. May he find peace in heaven."

Roman looked the crowd over and noted the Dimeras were surrounding Lexie. It bothered him to see that they were her main source of comfort. Instructing everyone, he shared, "At this time, we will take a moment of silence to remember all the great things Abe has done for this town."

Everyone sat in silence for a minute before Roman took his seat again. Soon after, Jonah and Karen made their way next to the choir to sing a special song for their brother. Before the pianist began to play, Jonah announced, "My sister and I chose this song because we remember our mother playing this song whenever the whole family got together before she passed. Abe was the first to point out what made this song so special. He claimed it always gave him peace of mind, so we hope we can do that for him one last time as well as everyone else here who is grieving our dear brother, Abe. This is Richard Smallwood's Total Praise."

The pianist began to play after Jonah and Karen took their places next to the choir.

_Lord, I will lift mine eyes to the hills_

_Knowing my help is coming from You_

_Your peace You give me in time of the storm_

_You are the source of my strength_

_You are the strength of my life_

_I lift my hands in total praise to You._

_You are the source of my strength_

_You are the strength of my life_

_I lift my hands in total praise to You._

_Amen, amen_

_Amen, amen_

_Amen, amen_

_Amen, amen _

Karen and Jonas took their seats after the song ended.

Pastor Carlson took center stage to deliver his message of peace and hope for everyone there. "Brother Abraham Washington Carver. I remember when Abraham was just a small boy. He was quiet, but he had this spirit in him that let you know boy didn't play around. He truly was something special and Abraham's parents knew it because they would come to me often to talk about his great accomplishments. They were proud of all their children, but I remember the heart Abraham contained and it only grew bigger as he matured. He truly was a man of God on this earth, but it's not over. Abraham is not gone forever. He did not disappear never to be seen again. He is in heaven looking down at all of us with a big smile on his face."

As the pastor continued to share his thoughts on life and resurrection, Will reflected on the things Abe said before he died. He turned his attention to Caroline, who was sitting between Roman and Bo. Remembering how his great-grandmother told him that being gay was a sin, he wondered if she had changed her mind on that because she was now more accepting of his homosexuality. He questioned if she still believed he would go to hell for being gay.

Sami, who sat between Will and Marlena, noted the familiar look Will always got when he was deep in thought. Placing her hand on his back, she began to rub it. "Are you okay, Will?" she whispered.

Will kept his gaze on Caroline. "No, I'm not," he admitted with clear honesty. Turning to his mother, he turned to her and quietly confessed, "I don't understand love. I don't understand life. How can you try to be happy when there is so much we don't understand? Apparently being good doesn't matter because life doesn't care."

Sami grimaced because she didn't know what to say to Will. She could only continue to rub his back and look forward as Pastor Carlson finished his sermon. She wanted to do whatever she could to protect her son but had a hard time figuring where to start.

"Lexie, Abraham's wife, will now close the services," Pastor Carlson announced.

Lexie squeezed Theo's and Brandon's hands before standing up to take her place on the stage. She couldn't believe it was already her turn to share her piece to honor her loving husband. Standing in front of everyone, she let out a smile as she focused on the good Abe had done over the years. She stood in silence for some time because every time she attempted to open her mouth to speak, she felt the tears wanting to pour out from her face. Feeling a bit frustrated with herself, her voice cracked as she said, "Sorry."

Taking a deep breath, Lexie allowed a few tears to fall to release some of the tension she felt in her whole body. Closing her eyes, she allowed herself to speak from her heart, "I'm sorry that the world won't get to experience the strong and courageous man I had the privilege of calling husband. No, my husband was not perfect, but he strived for perfection with such earnestness and eagerness. He believed in growth and progress. He believed in morality and ethics. He saved me more times than I can count, and I would not be here today if it wasn't for him showing me the way."

Taking a moment to pause, Lexie knew she had to say something more positive and inspiring to those who stood in front of her. Wiping her face after opening her eyes again, she continued, "My husband may be gone from this world, but he is not dead. He is alive, and I know it. I look at his children – Brandon and Theo – and I see his greatness – his love for people – living inside of them. I will always remember the day I met Abe. I was Lexie Brooks then, and he was my partner on the police force. It's crazy to go back to that time because life has changed so much and through it all he remained constant. He remained a strong and benevolent man. We had our ups and downs, but he truly showed me what love is because his love for me was never-ending. His support and encouragement never ceased. I don't know what I'm going to do now that he's…" Lexie began to choke on her tears because she was losing her control again. "I'm sorry…" she apologized while taking a deep breath.

Brandon and EJ wanted to come up to comfort her, but she waved them down. Deciding to wrap up, so she could sit down and rest, Lexie concluded, "When Abe started to get sick before his death, he said something to me that I will never forget. He told me God gave him back to me, so we could say a proper goodbye to each other. He knew, and he cherished me every moment until his last breath. That is something death can never take from me or us. Love never dies."

Unable to say anymore, Lexie stepped down and took her seat between Brandon and Theo once again. Tears flowed from everyone in attendance over the loss of a great man.


	49. Joining In

**2.49: Joining In**

_Thursday, October 11th, 2012_

Will, Sonny, Brett, and Kai arrived at Martha's Sports Grille early to find a great place to sit for karaoke. Will checked his phone for any missed text messages because a few of the guys from Kappa were joining them later. Putting his phone away, he looked across the table and said, "Are we doing a special theme tonight?"

Brett looked around the bar to see who would be his competition for the night. "Well, I don't care if we do a theme or not. I just want to show off my voice and wow the crowd with my new favorite song."

Kai gave Brett a playful look and joked, "The new Taylor West song?"

Brett shook his head at Kai. "You think you're funny, but you're not. I'm singing _Locked out of Heaven_."

Will got excited. "I love Bruno Mars."

"Are you singing anything tonight, Will?" Kai asked while rubbing his back.

Will shrugged his shoulders and tried his best to focus on having a good time tonight. "I'm not sure. I'll sing if Sonny wants to do a duet."

Sonny gave Will a questionable look as Brett and Kai rushed off to get a couple of books with the songs listed in them. When Sonny realized they were alone, he asked Will, "So some of the guys are coming tonight?"

Will understood Sonny was referring to the guys in the frat. "Yeah, I think Brian and Dustin said they would come if they could convince a few others to join us."

Wringing his hands, Sonny gave Will a serious look before admitting, "It's not so bad being in Kappa, but the guys keep asking me to move into the frat house."

Will smiled and shared, "Yeah. They've been trying to get me to move in since last spring."

Sonny wanted to ask Will why he didn't move out but he still had more to say about being a Kappa. He continued his admission, "I still wonder if joining the frat was a good idea."

"It will grow on you," Will maintained as he looked over the room for people he might know. He really wanted to distract himself from having any real moments. He wanted to keep everything superficial tonight.

Sonny wanted to ask Will if he was okay but noted Will didn't seem to want to be bothered by him. Glancing across the room for a waitress, he thought about how different life was now and couldn't help but notice how limited life seemed. He felt like an island that didn't have access to the great things he used to have. It didn't help that his parents took an extended vacation to help his brother, Joey, on the birth of his first baby.

Noting that Will had an odd look on his face, he realized Will spotted someone he knew. Sonny was filled with so much jealousy because of the relationships the other guys had with Will. He missed the closeness they used to have so much. "Who do you see?"

Will turned to Sonny and shared, "Michelle and Beth are here again, but they never sing. I wonder what that's about."

Kai and Brett finally returned with the books and began to look through them. Kai got Will's attention and pointed to a song. "What about that one?"

Will shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not sure if I can pull that off."

Brett noticed Sonny was staying to himself but didn't give it much thought. Talking to the group, he asked, "So are we officially making this a weekly thing? We've been out here three weeks this semester already."

Kai handed the book to Will, so he could look for a song. "I think we may have to switch nights every now and then because of school and my internship, but I'm down to make this happen weekly. It's fun!"

Will looked over to Sonny to see what he would say, but he didn't speak. "I am down, too. We might have to drag Sonny here every time we come though."

Sonny was not amused with what Will implied. "I'll be here if I have the time."

Spotting Melanie, Nathan, and Nicholas, Will motioned them over. "Hey. You three made it. I wasn't sure if you were serious when I told you about tonight."

Melanie gave Will a hug first with a huge smile on her face. "I love karaoke! Are you kidding me?!"

Will moved closer to Sonny and took the seat next to him surprising Sonny. "Yeah. We're all going to have to sing together at some point tonight then."

"I'm not sure if you guys want me on that stage," Nathan commented as he shook Sonny's hand. Heading over he shook Kai's and Brett's hands as well.

Melanie took Nathan's arm after he finished greeting everyone and suggested, "You can be my back up singer or… my personal interpretive dancer on the stage!"

Nathan laughed. "I'm not so sure if that would be better."

Nicholas walked up and pulled Will and Sonny into a hug from behind. "Are you two singing?"

Sonny felt a bit better since Melanie, Nathan, and Nicholas were there. "I'm considering it. You want to do a duet?"

Nicholas smiled. "If the song is right and fun, I'll do anything," he joked.

Will lifted his eye playfully. "Anything? We don't want to get kicked out of here."

Sonny shrugged his shoulders and jokingly commented, "We could always just have karaoke at our place. We'd have a lot more freedom."

Nicholas let go of Sonny and Will and moved over to the other side of Will. "I like the way you think, Sonny. I'll try to behave myself, but I can't make any promises."

Having overheard Nicholas, Brett walked over and questioned, "Who said anything about behaving ourselves?"

Sonny playfully tapped Will's shoulder. "Will is being behavior police over here. Believe it or not he has his boring moments."

Will forced a smile and grabbed a song book to look over. Moving the conversation along, he recommended, "We should pick songs before everyone else does, so we can get up there as many times as possible."

"Melanie and I already have our first song picked!" Kai announced while giving Melanie a hug. "It's a surprise!" They were clearly excited.


	50. Thanksgiving

**2.50: Thanksgiving**

_Thursday, November 22nd, 2012_

It was Thanksgiving at Will and Sonny's apartment and both were rushing around to make sure everything was set for dinner. Will entered the kitchen and found Sonny putting his last pie in the oven. "Are we okay, Sonny?"

Sonny turned around to look at Will to make sure he heard the question correctly. He wondered why Will wanted to talk about their relationship now when he seemed to avoid being real about anything with him prior. "Are we okay?"

Will nodded his head as he looked at the time. "Yeah. Is everything set? Do I need to do anything else before anyone gets here?" he asked before they heard a sudden knock on their door.

Sonny was thankful he didn't outwardly assume Will wanted to talk about them and was able to move on quickly. "We are good – ahead of schedule actually – but I guess so are our guests."

"I'll get the door," Will declared as he made his way to the door. When he opened it, he was surprised to see Sami, EJ, Johnny, and Sydney on the other side carrying a few bags. "What are you doing here?"

Sami gave Will a look as if to say he shouldn't have to ask that question. "Are you kidding? You think I am going to stay away from you on a holiday? Don't worry, we are not crashing your Thanksgiving dinner. We decided to stop by with some things before we head out to have Thanksgiving at Maddalena's mansion. Azzura made some sweets for us, and I wanted to share some with you."

Will took the bags from Sami and EJ and looked inside them to see what his mother was talking about. He still felt uncomfortable about Sami and Azzura's friendship. "Coming over here is so out of your way, but thanks. Tell everyone there Happy Thanksgiving for me."

"We will," EJ said as he placed his hand on Sami's back. "We'll get out of your way now."

Sami wasn't ready to leave. "Wait. There's something I wanted to say before we left," she announced as she reflected on how Will had become distant since Abe's death. Grabbing Will's hand, she gave her oldest a loving look. "I know you want to be independent and have your own Thanksgiving with your friends."

"Mom, I already told you why we decided to do this," Will interrupted.

Sami gave Will a good-humored look with some annoyance. "Will you let me finish? I know Adrienne and Justin are out-of-town and that a lot of your school friends couldn't go home for Thanksgiving. I think it's great that you and Sonny put this together. I only wanted to tell you what I'm thankful for this year since you couldn't go to Thanksgiving lunch at the pub. I am thankful that you are alive and well. I am thankful that we are stronger than ever and can support and help each other."

Will felt bad for jumping the gun on his mother and pulled her into a hug. He had tried his hardest to keep everyone at bay, but he couldn't help but allow his mother in because he really did need to hear her say those words. "I'm thankful for all of you as well." After letting go of Sami, Will made sure to give Johnny and Sydney hugs. "You two make sure you save me some of the food that tastes good!"

"We'll save you all the vegetables," Johnny joked.

EJ picked up Sydney and took Johnny's hand. "Well, we should head out so we don't keep everyone waiting."

Will stopped them from leaving. "If Lexie is there, give her a hug for me – will you? Oh, and tell her I'll see her at church on Sunday."

EJ nodded his head and gave Will a look of appreciation. "I most definitely will."

After they left, Will collected himself emotionally before returning to the kitchen to check on Sonny. "No one has arrived just yet, but my mom and EJ dropped off some awesome desserts."

Sonny watched as Will put them in the fridge. "That's great. I rushed through my pies. I hope they turn out alright."

"I'm sure they are perfect," Will complimented Sonny as he pulled out his cell phone to look at the time.

Ezra was the first to arrive. Sonny showed him in while Will checked on the bathroom to make sure it was presentable. "The table is set, but if you want to sit out here while we wait on the others it's okay."

Ezra decided to take a seat on the couch. "I'll wait for the others. I know how well you cook, so your food wouldn't last if I sat at the table," he shared. "Is Abigail going to make it tonight?"

"Actually, she's having Thanksgiving with her family," Sonny informed Ezra. "It's been a while since she's had one with her dad. She may make an appearance later though."

Ezra nodded his head and looked the room over for Will. "I'm glad things are working out for her and her dad. She told me she would try to come as well."

Will walked out and gave Ezra a hug when he spotted him. "I'm glad you could make it. So your mom went out of town then?"

Ezra nodded his head. "Yeah. She's very weird about Thanksgiving and tries to avoid it. This will be kind of different for me because I've never really celebrated Thanksgiving."

Will patted Sonny on the back as he shared, "Well, you're in for a treat. Sonny has gone the whole nine-yards with dinner tonight."

Sonny appreciated the compliment and smiled. "Will did help me. I don't think I could have pulled it off without him."

Ezra patted Will's arm and stated, "Well, Horton is a good guy like that. He's always there trying to help someone." As he continued to pat Will's arm, he turned to him and shared, "I feel like it's been quite a while since we've really hung out. We will have to set up some one on one time soon."

Will nodded his head in agreement. He had avoided Ezra somewhat as well but figured he needed to stop that. "Yeah. We will."

Sonny watched Will and Ezra and thought he saw a moment between the two. Avoiding the distraction, he changed the subject, "I'm sure the other Kappa guys will be happy to see you."

Ezra's face lit up. "Who's coming?"

Will looked up and replied, "Dustin, Brian, Johns, and Trace."

"That's a good group," Ezra acknowledge. "It will be good to see them again."

A knock on the door interrupted their conversation. Will decided to answer the door this time. When he spotted Chelsea on the other side holding a tray, he grabbed the tray from her and invited her in. "What's in here?" he asked with great curiosity.

Chelsea waved at Sonny and Ezra as she informed Will, "Green Bean Casserole. With grandma's help, I was able to successfully make a couple batches of it. We had the first one for Thanksgiving lunch at the pub."

"Sorry I couldn't make it," Will apologized before explaining, "I promised Sonny I would help him set up everything for tonight."

There was another knock on the door and Sonny rushed over to let in a few Kappa guys and Kai as Will and Chelsea headed to the dining room table. "Hey guys!" Sonny exclaimed when he saw them.

After everyone greeted each other, they took a seat around the table to eat. Will looked around the table to make sure everyone had settled in before he shared, "Ezra told me he hasn't really ever experienced a real Thanksgiving – I hope it's okay I shared that." After Ezra nodded in assurance, he continued, "I want to make sure we have the whole experience, so... It's a tradition in my family to say a prayer before we dig in, so I'm volunteering to say it."

Everyone looked at each other. No one had any objections, so Will began to pray. As everyone else bowed their heads, Sonny turned to Will and questioned his excuse to say a prayer before they ate. He knew Will had started going to church, but he usually tried to keep it a secret. Turning to everyone else, he reminded himself that today was a day to be thankful. Even if things seemed to shift, Sonny knew he was blessed to have this many people over for Thanksgiving. He felt better knowing that he could cook for everyone here and could feel useful. When Will had finished praying, Sonny made sure to echo Will's _amen_ with a genuine smile on his face.

* * *

Meanwhile, the Dimeras sat together in the dining room at Maddalena's mansion. Dario had finished most of his plate and was quite stuffed. "Azzura, you really out did yourself," he complimented her.

Azzura bowed her head slightly to thank Dario. "Wait until dessert."

Ignazio patted Dario on the back. "Are you having seconds?"

Dario shook his head. "Nah. I want to save some room for dessert," he replied as he looked across the table. He caught Lexie's gaze and thought about how they both lost someone dear to them in the same year. He wondered how she was handling it all and then thought about Manny and Arianna. A weird feeling came over him as he realized he wasn't celebrating the holiday with them. He knew they decided to join Victor and Maggie at the Horton/Brady Thanksgiving at the Horton house, but it was so bizarre that this was the first time he really thought about it.

Ignazio caught on that Dario had went somewhere else. "You okay man?"

Dario nodded his head trying to hide the guilt he carried. "Yeah, I was just thinking about family."

Hearing the word _family_ caused Maddalena to stand up to toast everyone who was there. "I would like to say something to all of you. This is my first American Thanksgiving and I appreciate every one of you coming here and allowing me to host. Family is important. Honor is necessary. We would have neither of those without each other. Our family has lived many lives and has made its mark on history – both good and bad. Today, we sit here rebuilding our family values and realizing the importance that we should respect those who came before us and paved the way for our greatness. We must learn from mistakes and never give up on each other. By working together, we will be sure no one in our family falls apart."

Turning to Lexie, Maddalena's eyes began to water as she continued, "Alexandra, the family is hurting with you and Theo, but we will also be strong with the both of you as well. Please do not feel as if there is not a place for you. You are with us and we are with you."

Returning her conversation to everyone after a small pause, Maddalena said, "I am thankful for each of you in this room. We will help each other through the storm stronger and better than before."

Lexie pulled Theo close to her and kissed his forehead as she remained quiet.

* * *

Chad pulled himself from the driver's seat of a truck. It was his first Thanksgiving in Texas, and the thought of not spending it with friends and family ate at him. He thought he would be used to living without them now, but their faces haunted him now and then. He wondered what they were doing. He wondered if they all gathered together. He questioned if Will was happy and thankful for his life without Chad now.

Decisions had been made, but Chad knew he had a lot more work ahead of him if he was going to pull this off. It was fearfully hard to think about because life had changed so much since he drove off that early January morning. He understood things differently to the point he almost laughed at himself.

"How depressing," he thought. Chad knew he made mistakes and desperately wished he could change them all, but he couldn't. He didn't have a time machine, and there was no way the person he was then could have known what he knew now. He was mind-fucked when he left Salem, but now he was coming close to a crossroads in his life.

"Not now," Chad whispered to himself. He didn't want to think about _what ifs_ and _what could bes_ because he was not even close to making those things happen. He needed to escape his thoughts and focus on where he was now – at this exact moment. Looking forward, he sighed heavily as he headed into Moonshine Bar. This was where he would spend his Thanksgiving.


End file.
